Shattered
by Lola-2011
Summary: As Skye and Luke reconnect, Alexis and Ric grow closer. But what happens when new attractions develop and an old one resurfaces? Please R
1. Denial

Denial

Disclaimer: I do not own them.

Skye had just been released from Pentonville, right after new evidence was brought forward that cleared her. Mostly her thoughts went to Luke, but right now nothing mattered more to her than getting home to the Quartermaine's and seeing the rest of her family. She had missed them, even Tracy.

She walked through the front door of the Mansion, dressed in designer clothes instead of prison blues. Her heels clanked loudly throughout the foyer, alerting Edward who was in the den. He peered out the door.

"Skye?" he called softly.

Slowly she turned around. "Grandfather."

He walked over to her and surprisingly wrapped his arms tightly around her. "How did you get out? Did you escape?"

"No." she told him as she pulled out of his embrace. "New evidence was brought forward and I was cleared this morning."

"Dear, that's wonderful."

Skye smiled. "Is Grandmother up in her sitting room? I'd like to see her."

Edward was silent, his eyes moved from Skye to the ground.

"Grandfather is there something wrong?" she asked softly. "Is Grandmother sick?"

"We didn't want to upset you." he said, lifting his eyes to meet her again. "Lila, she...she died in July."

"What?" Skye breathed out. "She's gone?"

Edward nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Please don't be angry at us for not telling you, but you were just sent away and we wanted you to keep your spirits up. We all felt that telling you about Lila would only upset far more than you already were."

Skye cried into his shoulder. "How?" she whispered. "Was she in any pain?"

"No. She went peacefully in her sleep." Edward recalled. "Monica said it was like the angels came and took her."

"I loved her." Skye sobbed. "She accepted me and my flaws immediately. She was incredible kind and loving and I'll never forget her, she was the back bone of this family."

"She loved you." Edward whispered. "She loved us all, despite our flaws."

-----

Alexis and Kristina were playing with some toys on the couch when the phone rang. Alexis leaned forward and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello." Kristina repeated, causing Alexis to laugh.

"Natasha?" Luke asked. "Is that you?"

"Luke, where in God's name have you been?" She asked, getting up off the couch, walking over to her desk.

"I was locked up in the sanitarium."

Alexis was silent for several long seconds. "Who actually had the good sense to put you there in the first place?" she laughed.

"Oh, you think that's funny?" he questioned.

"Yeah, yeah I do." she confessed. "How did you get out?" she asked, getting serious.

"I broke out." he told her. "Someone drugged me and put me there when I went in search of Laura."

"Did you find Laura?" she asked.

"Yes, her name tag got switched." Luke explained. "She's still here and as catatonic as ever."

Alexis glanced over at Kristina. "I'm sorry to hear that Luke."

"Yeah, well, I knew it couldn't be her."

"Are you coming back?" she asked.

"To Port Chuckles? I guess so."

She took a deep breath. "I don't know if that would be such a good idea Luke."

"Why not?"

"Because an innocent woman went to prison over Ross Duncan's murder." she told him. "You know the cop that was killed and then you skipped town and threw Skye to the vultures?"

"I never threw Skye to the vultures." he argued.

"Like hell you didn't." she argued back. "You took off and then Skye was arrested, tried and convicted for his murder."

"Skye was sent to prison?"

"To serve twenty years." Alexis noted. "I did everything I could to save her, everything. The Quartermaine's stepped forward and supported her, testifying on her behalf and Lucky, but in the end it just wasn't enough. Her only crime Luke, was loving you and for that she was taken away to where she doesn't belong, all because she followed your lead down the wrong path."

"I had no idea." Luke breathed out. "Skye didn't kill that cop."

"I know she didn't." Alexis agreed. "I was watching them take her away, taking her away from her life and her family. They placed those cold cuffs across her wrists and my heart broke, because I didn't feel that I had done my job good enough, I couldn't save her and she was the one to pay the ultimate price."

"Why are you taking this so personally?" he asked.

"Because, Skye....she's my sister." Alexis confessed. "I couldn't protect or save my own sister."

"How?" he asked. "How is Skye your sister?"

"We had the same Father." she told him.

"Skye a Cassadine?"

"Skye's a Quartermaine, she's Alan's daughter, she loves him and he loves her and there's no reason that she ever has to find out the truth about being a Cassadine." Alexis said. "It will only destroy her."

"She doesn't know." Luke concluded.

"No. Helena will only come after her." Alexis said softly. "It's best this way and as for Skye, her being a Cassadine should end this thing between the two of you. She was very concerned about you during the trial but after the first few weeks in Pentonville, I think her feelings changed somewhat, her eyes didn't seem to have the same glow when your name was mentioned and the Quartermaine's, I don't think they want you anywhere near her."

"What are you trying to say?" he asked, trying to let everything sink in.

"I'm saying that it would be best for everybody involved if you just stayed away from her."

"I won't do it." he objected.

"She's a Cassadine." Alexis repeated. "That should be enough."

"Why are you acting so protective?"

"I've already lost one sister to circumstances out of my control and I refuse to lose another one."

"You and Skye hate each other." Luke pointed out.

"No." Alexis said firmly. "We often have conflicting interests. During the trial I seen her in a completely different light. She put her faith in me to get her off and I failed her. I was befuddled. I do not hate her."

"Then why don't you tell her she's your sister?" Luke asked.

"Because I'm trying to protect her from Helena and the evil curse that is the Cassadine's." she said. "Please, Luke, she can't know, she can't ever know the truth."

"I want to see her."

"Then talk to Alan, Monica and the rest of the Quartermaine's about it." Alexis suggested. "She was released this morning because new evidence came to light, she's staying with her family and being that her Grandmother passed away back in July, she's going to need them to get through Lila's death. She's starting counseling to get her life back on track and the last thing she needs right now is the reappearance of you in her life."

"That was harsh." he commented. "You make me sound like some sort of poison."

"Luke, I love you, you know that. You're a great friend and we've been through a lot together, just try to understand that I'm doing this for Skye. She could fall off the wagon again very easily and she's trying really hard to get her life back together, prison gave her a lot of time to think and right now she needs those who love her to do what's best for her."

"I see." Luke said, softly. "I'll avoid that Quartermaine Mansion like the plague."

"Thanks, Luke."

"No problem." he said. "I'll see you in a few days."

"Bye." Alexis whispered. She took the phone away from her ear and turned it off, placing it on the desk.

Kristina was still playing on the couch, Alexis smiled. "Come on sweetheart, where going to see the Quartermaine's." Kristina got down off the ouch and walked over to her Mother.

There was a soft knock at the door as Alexis picked up her purse and Kristina's diaper bag.. She opened the door to see Ric standing there with a dozen roses in his hand. "I'm sorry."

Alexis took the roses from him. "For what?" she asked, sitting them down on the table.

"For everything." he said, softly. "I've been acting like a complete jerk, always involving Sonny with everything and I'm sorry."

"Ric, do you think we could do this some other time, Kristina and I are heading over to the Quartermaine's." Alexis told him.

"Sure." he agreed. "I'll give you a call."

Alexis smiled. "I'd like that, maybe we could discuss it over dinner."

Ric nodded and flashed her a smile before walking off.

-----

Monica opened the door to the Quartermaine Mansion. "Alexis, how nice to see you and Kristina, please come in."

"Thank you." Alexis responded, making her way through the door. "Is Skye here?"

"Yes." Monica smiled. "She's up in her room resting, today was a tough day for her, Edward told her about Lila."

Alexis nodded. "I'd like to speak to her, would you mind watching Kristina for a little bit?"

"Of course not."

"Kristina, Aunt Monica is going to take you to see the flowers." Alexis told her handing her to Monica.

Kristina looked up at Monica and smiled. "Roses."

"Okay, we'll go see the roses."

Monica and Kristina made their way out and into the garden and Alexis made her way up to Skye's room. She tapped softly on the door before entering. "Skye?"

Skye was sitting on the window seat, looking out into the garden. "Alexis, what are doing here?"

She made her way over to Skye and sat down beside her. "I came to see how you were doing."

Skye continued to gaze out the window. "I'm out of prison." she told her. "Physically, anyway." she added.

"I talked to Luke." Alexis said softly.

Skye looked up and over at her. "Luke." she whispered.

TBC......depending on response.

Please review and tell me what you think!!!!!!


	2. Falter

Falter

"Luke?" Skye whispered.

Alexis nodded. "Yes, he's said that he's on his way back and that he'd be here soon."

"I can't believe this." Skye mumbled.

"He was in locked in a sanitarium, the one where Laura was." she told her. "He didn't know about what happened to you."

"I knew that he didn't just abandon me without warning. I knew that something bad had happened to him." Skye said, thinking back. "I can't believe no one thought to check the sanitarium."

"It was too obvious. We still don't know who put him there, Skye, just like we don't know who set you up for Ross' murder."

Skye nodded. "Well, when you see him, tell him that I'm glad he's alright."

"Don't you want to tell him yourself?" she asked. "After all these months apart I thought you'd be knocking down doors to get to him."

"You actually think that it would be a good idea for me to be around Luke? That's why I was in this entire mess. I wanted to turn myself in so many times, I wanted to call the cops after I found Ross dead on my livingroom floor, but Luke kept talking me out of it." she explained. "You of all people know that the last thing I need is to see him."

"I told Luke that it would be best for you to have some space." Alexis said, agreeing with her. "And he eventually agreed."

"Do you think he'll stay away?"

Alexis shrugged. "I don't know. This is Luke we're talking about, he doesn't listen to anyone but himself."

Skye looked back out the window.

"I thought you were in love with Luke?" Alexis asked.

"I thought I was." she confessed. "I was just looking for something secure, someone I could count on and that was Luke, that was until he disappeared and after sitting in Pentonville for a while I realized that relying on someone just isn't love, it wasn't with Ned and it's not with Luke."

"Your eyes."

"What?" Skye asked, turning her head to face Alexis.

"Your eyes." she repeated. "They used to light up when his name was mentioned, I noticed that the last few times I visited you in prison that the glow had faded."

"I just gave up." Skye told her. "Luke's a really great friend and I love him, I'm just not in love with him."

"He wanted to see you."

Skye shook her head. "I don't want to see him."

"He's going to find a way to see you, Skye."

"Luke told me that he was falling in love with me." Skye said, barely audible. "He said that's why Laura was coming after me."

"That was a really big step for Luke."

"Yeah." Skye commented. "A huge step and I sure hope he's changed his mind or that he was drunk and confused."

"Luke wouldn't have said it if he didn't mean it." Alexis argued.

"What do I do?" she asked. "Are Luke and I suppose to start over?"

"Right now, Skye, the only person you need to be concerned about is yourself, everyone one else, including Luke should come second."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Skye asked. "We took a one eighty in our relationship, we used to constantly be at each other's throats."

"Just over Kristina."

Skye held her head down. "I know I've told you this before, but I'm really sorry. I just got caught up in everything, I thought I was protecting Kristina, I thought you were sick and I only wanted what was best for her. I'm sorry."

"I know you are." Alexis said, softly.

"I just felt a strong connection to her, I can't explain it."

Alexis smiled weakly, she knew what the connection was, Skye was Kristina's aunt. "Well, the truth is that you love Kristina and love is a strong connection."

"I'm sorry." Skye sobbed. "I'm sorry I tried to keep her away from you." she said, going from sobbing to a full blown outburst of crying.

Alexis was taken aback, this woman who had been so strong during a murder trial and conviction was now sitting in front of her bawling like a little child. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around her sister. "Everything's okay now." she whispered, stroking Skye's hair. "That's in the past."

"I'm sorry." Skye repeated over and over, sobbing uncontrollable into Alexis' arms.

"Skye?" she said, softly. "Skye?"

She continued to cry.

"What's wrong?" Alexis asked, but Skye never responded, she just continued to cry. "Skye, let's get you into the bed."

Skye complied but her cries never lessened.

"I'm going to get Monica." Alexis told her. "I'll be right back.

She made a beeline down the stairs and into the Quartermaine den. "Monica?" she said, out of breath.

Monica looked up from where she and Brooke Lynn were playing with Kristina. "Alexis, what is it?" she asked, standing up.

"There's something wrong with Skye."

Monica bolted for the stairs with Alexis only a few steps behind her. She made her way into Skye's room to find Luke sitting on the edge of the bed. "What are you doing here?" Monica asked him.

"I came to see Skye. I thought..."

"I don't care what you thought." Monica said, cutting him off. "I want you out of my house, now!" she yelled. "If Alan finds you here he's going to kill you."

Monica sat down on the bed beside a still crying Skye. She placed the back of her hand over Skye's forehead. "She's cold and clammy." Monica noted. "Skye? Can you hear me?"

"Why are you here Luke? I thought you agreed to stay away from her." Alexis commented. "You need to go."

"What's wrong with her?" Luke asked.

"All the stress is getting to her, I think she's having a breakdown." Monica said, accessing Skye the best she could. "Luke, leave!"

"Go!" Alexis ordered. "I'll keep you posted."

Luke left the same way he came in, through the window.

"Alexis, my bag is down the next hall in my room, can you grab it for me?" Monica asked. "It's on the chaise."

"Sure." Alexis said, disappearing.

"Skye, you've got to talk to me." Monica told her, taking her hand. "You've got to tell me what's wrong."

She was silent and her eyes were clamped shut.

Alexis returned several seconds later with the bag and handed it to Monica.

Monica continued to access her. "How long has she been like this?"

"About few minutes before I came and got you, I thought she was going to stop." Alexis told her. "It was like she was in some sort of a daze."

"Did you notice anything different about her when you got here? Did she say anything out of the ordinary?" she asked, looking up. "Anything at all."

Alexis quickly scanned her memory. "No." she breathed. "Other than when I asked her how she was doing she said that she was out of prison but only physically."

Monica looked back down at her stepdaughter. "Skye, you're going to the hospital so we can run some tests. Skye?"

There was still no answer although the crying had subsided.

* * *

Alexis returned home a few hours later, she placed a sleeping Kristina in her crib and then started to undress as she walked down the hallway and into her room. She didn't bother to flip the light on as she slipped her shirt off, throwing it on the bench in front of her bed and then unzipping and stepping out of her skirt. 

"You're late." A deep voice murmured.

She nearly jumped out of her skin, she stumbled to turn on the lamp. "Luke, what are you doing here?"

"You told me you'd keep me posted on Skye." he said, tossing Alexis her robe.

"I just got home." she replied, slipping the robe on over her slip. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough."

Alexis sat down on the bed beside him, she reclined back against the headboard. "Skye's at General Hospital." she said softly. "She had a little breakdown."

"Why?"

"Why?" she repeated. "Because she was in prison for a few months, convicted of a crime she didn't commit, she went through a murder trial. Her Grandmother died. I could go on and on."

"I get your point." Luke said, before she could continue. "Is she going to be alright?"

"They're keeping her under observation tonight. The Quartermaine's don't want you anywhere near her." Alexis told him. "They're probably standing guard at the door."

"Alexis, I really need to see her." Luke said softly. "I feel terrible about what happened, I should have been here to protect her and I wasn't. If I explain everything to her, I can make her understand what..."

She stopped him mid sentence. "Skye doesn't want to see you."

They were both really quiet for several seconds. "614." Alexis mumbled.

Luke practically leaped up off the bed. "Thanks Natasha."

* * *

Luke peered down the hospital corridor, Alan Quartermaine had just left his daughter's room and Monica was walking toward him. He watched as they talked for a few minutes, glancing in the direction of Skye's room occasionally and then they finally walked down the hallway together. 

He crept down the hallway and slowly made his way into her room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Skye was laying in bed, she appeared to be asleep. Luke slowly walked over to her and sat down on the bed beside her. "Skye." he said softly.

Her eyes opened and she focused them on Luke, but before she could speak he placed his finger to her lips. "Shh. Let me do the talking. I'm sorry, I didn't know what happened, but whoever set you up locked me in the sanitarium, it's all connected, we just have to figure out who. Who could have done this?"

Skye took his hand and moved it away from her face. "No." she said, firmly. "You and I aren't going to be figuring out anything, that's why there are law enforcement agencies. You and I playing Nick and Nora Charles is what got us into this mess. No more. I've been released and I'm ready to move on with my life, even when that means doing it alone."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that everybody was right, Edward tried to tell me that you would only cause trouble and I didn't want to listen, instead I put my faith in you. It was a big mistake and now I think that it would be best if we went our separate ways, I'll sell my share of the casino to Faith."

"Skye..."

She cut him off. "Look Luke, if you want danger and adventure, then Faith's your girl."

"I don't want Faith." he argued.

"Then settle for her, settle for Faith the way you settled for me when you couldn't have Laura." Skye told him. "Please, Luke, let me move on with my life."

"But Skye...you're focusing on the bad." he objected. "Can't you remember any of the good? Fixing the Haunted Star up or surviving the fire in the hotel."

"You know what I remember Luke?" she asked and then answered herself. "I remember fighting. Fighting about the casino and fighting in the hotel as it burned down around us."

"Why don't you want to remember the good times?"

She sighed, weakly, "Because there weren't any."

Luke searched his mind for a good memory."What about dancing on the Haunted Star?"

"What about you bringing Faith into the business?" she countered.

"What about the rooftop kiss?"

"It was a kiss goodbye." she argued. "Please, stop." she told him, softly. "For every good memory, there are ten bad ones."

"What do you want from me?" he asked, point blank.

"I want you to go." she said, softly. "Just leave me alone. I already told Alexis that I didn't want to see you and if my Father or my Grandfather, catch you in here they're going to hang you."

"Nothing like a little murder conviction to get the family to rally around you." he commented.

"They are my family." she replied. "We not be lovey dovey, but when push comes to shove we stand up for each other. I need the Quartermaine's, I don't need you." she whispered through tears. "Please go."

He nodded. "If that's the way you want it."

"It is." she breathed, wiping her eyes.

Luke got up off the bed and walked toward the door. "If you want or need anything."

"I want you to go." she repeated.

He opened the door and walked out, but he turned back around. "I'll never give up on you." he said, barely audible and then closed the door behind him.

* * *

The next evening Alexis walked out of the courtroom, her briefcase in hand. 

"How did it go last night?" Ric asked as he approached her.

"How did what go?" she asked, confused.

"At the Quartermaine's." he reminded her, as they continued to walk.

"Oh." Alexis breathed. "That. It went okay."

Ric stopped walking and grabbed her arm to halt her. "Alexis, what's wrong?"

She gave a quick smirk. "Nothing, it's just that I didn't get in until late last night." she confessed.

He just looked at her. "Well." he finally said. "You promised me dinner."

"Yeah, I did." she recalled. "How's tonight?"

Ric was taken a little aback. "Yeah, tonight, tonight's good. I'll pick you up at seven."

"Okay.' she agreed, walking off.

* * *

Ric and Alexis had cocktails and then dinner and had decided to 

"I had a good time tonight." Alexis told him.

"Me too." he agreed. He took her hand in his as they continued to walk, he was actually quite surprised when Alexis didn't jerk away from his touch.

He lead her to a bench and they both took a seat. "Alexis, I know that we argue a lot and that we always don't get along, but right now, sitting here with you in the park, it's like we're two completely different people."

"I try to show professional behavior." she offered.

"Do you enjoy spending time with me Alexis?" he asked. "Because sometimes I can never tell."

"Yes." she admitted. "Tonight was fun and I even like to banter with you. It's intellectually simulating."

"I'm trying really hard to move forward with my life. I'll do anything to get you to believe in me, you may not think so now, but I really like you and I'd like to see where this thing between us goes."

Alexis nodded. "I'd like that."

"Yeah?" he questioned.

"Yeah." she repeated with a smile.

Ric moved closer to her, he looked into her eyes and then slowly inched forward until their lips brushed together. Alexis' hands grasped his forearms as their lips met again and again. Ric brought his hands up to her face, he looked at her with such depth. She moved forward once again, their lips touched ever so softly and then Alexis' parted slightly, Ric took the opportunity to deep their kiss. He licked her bottom lip and then masterfully invaded her mouth. Their tongues dances together fiercely as he pulled her closer and closer to him.

They pulled apart after a few minutes.

"I should really get going." Alexis said, softly.

"I'll walk you home." Ric suggested.

"Thanks, but. I'm going to stop by the hospital." she said. "I need to talk to Skye."

* * *

Alexis entered Skye's hospital's room. "You're up late." she commented as she closed the door behind her. 

"And you're out late." Skye noted. "Did you have a sleepless night or a hot date?"

Alexis took a seat in the chair beside her bed. "I'm glad to see you're feeling better."

"Well, Alexis, I'm waiting, which was it?" she teased.

"What?" she asked, trying to avoid the question but blushing slightly.

"Ah ha. It was the latter wasn't it?" Skye asked with a wicked smile. "Who was the hot date?"

Alexis was silent.

Skye cocked her head to the side."Okay, I'll guess then. Was it Mac Scorpio? Or Lorenzo Alcazar or maybe Lucky?"

"You're not going to like it." she warned.

Skye chuckled. "Since when does that matter?"

Alexis nodded. "It was Ric."

"Lansing?"

"Yes." Alexis replied.

"That's nice." Skye offered. "I thought you hated him?"

"I thought I did, but once I got to know him, I realized that he wasn't all that bad."

"He is a smooth talker. He apologized to me a billion times yesterday morning after I was released, assuring me that he was going to find the real killer." Skye told her. "It's the PCPD, so I'm not going to take anything too seriously. Anyway, let's here more about Ric."

"There's nothing to tell." Alexis responded, shifting nervously in her chair.

Skye smiled. "I'm sure there is."

"Nothing worth mentioning." Alexis said. "Not yet anyway. Have you seen Luke?" she asked, changing the subject.

"He stopped by last night." Skye answered casually.

"Luke said that he wanted to explain things to you, did he?"

Skye nodded. "Yeah. He explained about the sanitarium and then I basically told him that I didn't want anything to do with him. That us being around each other only lead to trouble and that I wanted him out of my life." she said, sadly.

"Then why do you sound like you just lost your best friend?" she asked.

"Because I did." Skye breathed out.

"I think that after things settle down with you, you'll have a whole different prospective on Luke and your relationship with him." Alexis told her. "Like I told you before, you have to concentrate on yourself first. "

Skye nodded.

When are they releasing you?" Alexis asked.

"Tomorrow." she answered. "Hopefully."

"Well, it's pretty late, so I guess I'll get out of here." Alexis said, standing up. "I'll see you later."

"Bye." Skye said as she watched her leave.

* * *

The next afternoon, Alan brought Skye home from the hospital. He went back to work as she decided to relax around the house. She was told to avoid stress at all costs, so she sat in the den, flipping through a magazine. She heard the terrace doors open and then felt the breeze blow through, but didn't bother to see who is was, figuring it was Edward. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know that you were in here."

Skye looked up.

"Do you remember me from the park?" Heather questioned. "It was during your murder trial."

She nodded. "Yes, I remember. What are you doing here?" she asked. "Are you looking for someone?"

"Actually, your Grandfather is letting me tend to Lila's rose garden." Heather replied with a smile.

Skye was a little unnerved, but bit her tongue. "That's nice." she commented.

Tracy walked through the den. "Yes, that's what it is. Nice." she said, heading for the bar. "Let me catch you up to speed Skye. Heather here is trying to worm her way into this family and into my Father's bank account."

"Is that true?" Skye asked.

"I'm just trying to be a friend." Heather argued.

"My Father doesn't need friends like you." Tracy snapped. "His judgement is a little clouded right now, but when he comes around, you'll be out of here so fast, your head will spin."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Heather argued. "I actually listen to Edward. Losing his wife was hard for him and he needs someone to confide in. Someone to be there for him."

"I want you away from my Father." Tracy said, simply.

Skye looked uncomfortable, the conversation at hand was a little vexatious.

"That's not up to you." Heather mocked. "Besides, Edward likes having me around. He told me."

"You know what, that's enough." Tracy said stopping her. "My niece was told to avoid stress and it's clear that you're upsetting her, so be gone."

Heather glared at Tracy for a few seconds and then glanced at Skye before walking out the terrace doors.

"Now, that was interesting." Skye commented.

"Nobody asked you." Tracy said, sipping her brandy. "And before you get all warm and fuzzy, I wasn't defending you I was just trying to get Heather out of my house."

"It's Monica's house." Skye said. "Daddy gave it to her."

Tracy rolled her eyes. "I am so freaking tired of hearing that."

"Good afternoon, ladies." Ric said as he entered the den.

"What are you doing here?" Tracy asked.

"I came to speak with Skye." Ric replied. "It's about Ross Duncan's murder."

"Am I a suspect again?" she asked.

"No, but I'd like you to answer a few questions for me. It's kind of like an evaluation." Ric explained.

Skye nodded. "Please, have a seat. Can I get you anything?"

"I can't believe you're offering tea and biscotti to the man who sent you to prison." Tracy scoffed.

"I can't believe you're still alive after you gave them hard evidence to put me away." Skye shot back.

Tracy flipped her hair back, in true diva style. "That a nice thing to say in front of the district attorney."

"I didn't hear a word." Ric said.

Skye ignored Tracy and turned her attention toward Ric. "Shall we begin?" she asked as Tracy stormed out of the den. "You'll have to excuse Aunt Tracy, she can be a bit shrewd."

"How well I know."

Ric opened his briefcase up on the coffee table, he took out a slip of paper, which he handed to Skye. His hand lightly brushed against hers, shocking her.

"I'm sorry, too much static electricity." he said, smiling.

Skye laughed, lightly. "That quite alright."

* * *

Alexis entered the Haunted Star to find Luke sitting at the bar, going over some paperwork. 

"All alone?" she asked.

He turned around to face her. "We don't open for a few more hours."

"I thought one of your partner's would be helping you out." she said, taking a seat beside him. "When I came home last night I was surprised not to find you sitting on my couch or lurking in my bedroom."

Luke shrugged. "I was busy."

"Are you sober?" she asked.

"Stone cold." he replied, continuing to work on what was in front of him. "What can I do for you?"

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked. "Do you want me to get you a drink or something?"

"No, I don't want a drink." he answered, looking up.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about." Luke replied.

"I talked to Skye."

"That's nice." he commented, going back to what he was doing.

Alexis sat there, watching his strange behavior for a few more minutes. Then she got up and walked behind the bar, turning on the radio, she sat the dial to a classical station. She took the pen out of his hand and led him over to an open area.

"Alexis, what are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm trying to cheer you up." she said. "Please, just humor me."

He agreed and they began to dance, weakly at first and then picking up the pace a little more. By the end of the first song his mood had elevated and he began twirling her around. Their soft laughter filled the entire room. They danced perfectly in sync, moving gracefully together. At the end of the second song he dipped her and he pulled her back up tightly against him, too tightly.

Their laughter had subsided and things were completely silent as he held Alexis in his arms. He looked into her dark eyes and for a moment he seemed to be lost, as did she.

TBC......

Thanks for the feedback and the tip that my little star dividers didn't show up!

Please review!


	3. Default

Default

Alexis smiled and Luke released her from his grasp. "I'm sorry." he told her. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm fine." she insisted. "No harm, no foul. I mean, it didn't mean anything other than us displaying our feelings for each other. Our feelings of friendship."

"A deep friendship." he said, correcting her. "Thanks for cheering me up."

"What are friends for?" Alexis joked. "Besides occasionally letting me represent you on murder charges."

"You're a pretty good friend for a Cassadine." he commented. "I know that I can always count on you."

"Do you?" she asked.

"Yes."

Alexis nodded. "Then, prove to me that I can always count on you." she said softly. "I want you to prove to me that bloodlines don't mean a damn thing."

"I'll do my best." he said.

* * *

"Sign right here and you're done." Ric told Skye. 

She signed on the dotted line. "There you go."

"Thank you." he said, taking the paper from her hand and placing it in his briefcase.

"You know, Alexis was a very good attorney, I put my faith in her and she came through for me." she said, trying to evoke some sort of reaction from him.

Ric smiled. "Yes she is."

"Alexis, is a really interesting person. If you ever get a chance to spend any personal time with her, you should, she could teach you a thing or two law."

"I'll keep that in mind." he said, blushing slightly.

Skye was pleased from the responses that she received. "Is there anything else I can do for?" She asked.

Ric smiled. "That's it." he said, standing up. "Thanks again, Skye."

As Ric left the Mansion, Skye hurried up the stairs and into her bedroom, she quickly got ready and then headed for the Haunted Star.

When she got there Luke was standing behind the bar, making sure all the liquor was stocked. He turned around to see her standing at the bar, her hands placed on either side in front of her.

"Oh my." he murmured, under his breath. "What brings you down here?"

"I work here." Skye reminded him.

"I thought you didn't want to see me?" he asked. "Did you change your mind?"

"Now, what makes you think that?"

Luke walked around the bar to where she was. "You came all the way here and your dressed in that." he pointed out. "Do you really want me to believe that you just came to work?"

"You can believe whatever it is that you want." she said, softly. "I came here to work." she walked over to one of the tables and began counting the chips. "Where's our not so silent partner?"

"Who?" Luke asked.

She looked over at him and smiled. "Faith."

"Oh." he breathed. "Her. I'm not so sure." he answered, never taking his eyes off of her.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, feeling a bit nervous.

Luke shook his head. "Are we just going to pretend this whole thing never happened?"

"What thing?"

"The prison thing, the abandoning you in your time of need thing." he explained. "The whole conversation at the hospital the other night."

"I guess so." she said simply. "You pretend like things never happen all the time."

"That's not true." he said, defending himself.

"It doesn't matter. I came here to work, not to fight with you."

He walked over to her and took the chips out of her hand. "Stop avoiding the inevitable, darlin'."

"The inevitable." she repeated. "Tell me, Luke, what exactly is the inevitable?"

He stepped closer to her. "You know."

"No, no I don't." she challenged.

Luke sighed. "I'm sick of playing cat and mouse with you."

"Well, Luke, I thought you liked a little adventure, a walk on the wild side, constantly being on the edge?" she asked. "Isn't that what the almighty Luke Spencer is all about?"

"That's true to some extent, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that..." his voice trailed off. He thought about confessing how he truly felt, but he wasn't exactly sure how he felt. Did his knowledge of Skye being a Cassadine change things? Did it make him hate her? He struggled with his conscience. A Cassadine. Skye was a Cassadine. It doesn't matter, he thought, he liked her before he ever knew she was a Cassadine. This didn't change things.

"Luke?" Skye called out, trying to get his attention. "Hey, where did you go?"

He snapped back to reality. "I'm here." he breathed, "What was I saying?"

She smiled weakly, she knew that she could never fill even a pin point in his heart. "You're sick of playing cat and mouse." she reminded him.

"Yes, it's gotten very old." he told her, his heart sinking. "I think we should put an end to all of this."

"I couldn't agree more." she said. "Friends."

"Huh?" he asked, dazed.

"We'll agree to be friends and nothing more." she repeated. "I'll see other people, you'll see other people and we'll remain friends."

"Agreed."

* * *

Alexis knocked on the door of Ric's apartment and patiently waited for an answer. "What I am I doing here?" she muttered to herself. 

The door opened. "Alexis."

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked.

He opened the door of his apartment, "No, please come in."

"Thank you." she said, stepping inside. "This is very forward of me, but would you like to go out?"

Ric smiled. "Go out?"

Alexis nodded. "To the Haunted Star."

"Sure." Ric answered without having to think about. "Let me get my jacket." he said, picking it up from across the couch. "Ready?" he asked.

Twenty minutes later they entered the Haunted Star, which was completely packed.

"Would you like to get a drink?" he asked her.

"Sure."

They walked over to the bar and sat down.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked.

"Two glasses of your finest Chardonnay." Ric told him.

Within seconds two glasses were placed in front of them.

"Thank you." Alexis said, taking the glass from Ric.

Skye came out of the back and into the main room, she headed over to the bar to get a club soda. She was in a world of her own as she poured the contents of the bottle into a whiskey glass.

"Skye." Alexis said, alerting her.

She looked up. "Alexis, are you enjoying your even at the Haunted Star?" she asked, monotonously.

"Yes." she answered, slowly. "Is anything the matter?"

Skye flashed a bright smile, a fake one, but a bright one none the less. "Everything's just peachy." she insisted, trying to sound a little more delightful this time around. "Can I get you anything? Ric?"

"No, we're fine." he answered. "I'm surprised to see you back at work so soon."

"Well, the only other alternative was spending the evening with the Quartermaine's." Skye replied, glancing across the room. "Well, it must be my lucky night, here's my lovely family now."

"I thought you liked the Quartermaine's?" he asked, confused.

"I do." Skye responded. "It's just that they're treating me like I'm a porcelain doll."

They're concerned." Alexis pointed out. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes." Skye breathed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do my Hostess-ly duties."

"Skye, wait." Alexis said as Skye made her way across the room to her family. Alexis got up off the bar stool, ready to follow her.

Ric lightly touched her arm. "She'll be fine." he assured her. "She will be."

Alexis sat back down and as soon as she did, Ric's phone rang.

He took his phone out of his jacket pocket. "I'm sorry, I have to take this."

"Go ahead, I'm going to slip to the ladies room." she told him, getting up.

While Ric took his call, Alexis made her way down the hallway of the boat. Luke's office door was slightly cracked open. "Luke." she said, softly, pushing the door open.

"Evening Natasha." he said, cheerfully. "I was just heading out to the Casino."

"Can you and I talk for a few minutes?"

"Sure." Luke said, reclining back in his chair. "What do you want to talk about?"

She sat down on the edge of his desk. "Skye."

"Oh, yeah, that."

"Oh, yeah that, what?" she asked.

"Skye and I have agreed to be just friends." he informed her.

"Just friends?" she asked. "You both agreed on this?"

"Yes." Luke said. "I was about to tell her how I felt, you know, how lost I was without her and how much I missed her, but then a small little detail entered my mind and I just couldn't get rid of it."

"What's that?" she asked, intrigued.

"She's a Cassadine."

Alexis just looked at him. "Yeah, Skye's a Cassadine and she has been her entire life, why does this make a difference now?"

"I don't know." he confessed. "I was standing in front of her and I just couldn't get past the fact that she was a Cassadine, no mattered how hard I tried. Maybe you were right, maybe that was all I need to stay away from her."

"Your sick, twisted and bitter obsession with the entire Cassadine Family needs to come to an end and this is the best way to settle it."

"I hate Cassadine's!" Luke yelled. "I thought it would be immaterial, but I keep thinking back to how Laura was Stavros and Stefan and then about Nikolas and everything just spins together. The Cassadine's are poisonous and pure evil." he yelled again. "With the exception of you Natasha." he added. "I just realized that I can't do it, I can't be involved with one of those demons."

"You know, I know that Skye's no angel, she's nowhere close, but to call her a demon is just outlandish." Alexis snapped. "Had I never told you she was a Cassadine this would have never been a problem."

"I would have found out eventually." Luke said. "Skye may have wanted to find her birth Father."

"I don't know, I think she has all the Father she wants in Alan." Alexis argued. "And that's besides the point Luke, Skye wasn't raised by the Cassadine's, she doesn't hold any of their unspeakable qualities."

"Why are you trying to push us together?" Luke asked.

"I'm not trying to push you together. You're my friend, I love you, I want you to be happy and it's rather obvious that Skye makes you happy. Throw in the part where she's my sister and I should want her to be happy and it's all a given."

"I don't know, maybe it's not the Cassadine thing." he said. "Maybe I'm not meant to be with anyone other than Laura."

"Stop using Laura as a cop out!" Alexis yelled. "Everything you do comes back to Laura. She's sick Luke, it's irreversible and it's not your fault, it's not anyone's fault. I know that you loved her, that she was your everything, your angel. She still is, but you just have to face the facts that she's not coming back. She would want you to be happy, to move on with your life and if not with Skye, then with someone else."

"Why are you pointing all this out?" he asked.

"Because, I'm trying to prove to you that this Machiavellian plot with trying to kill all things Cassadine is getting a little ridiculous."

"I can't be in love with a Cassadine, it goes up against everything I stand for." he argued.

"No, Luke, you won't love a Cassadine. You won't allow yourself to admit what everyone already knows that you feel for Skye. You won't admit the truth because of her parentage, which is completely absurd. It's time to let the Spencer-Cassadine War die and this is the way to do it." she shot back. "Don't pretend you just all of the sudden have morals either."

"Never."

"When I first told you this the other day you said it didn't matter."

"I didn't think it did." he replied, honestly.

"How long did it take for it to settle in your brain Luke?" she asked. "A few hours? Or was it when you actually seen her that you made the connection between Skye and Cassadine?"

"Alexis, it doesn't matter, she's a Cassadine."

"You keep saying that as if your hiding behind it. What is it Luke, are you too scared to commit? she asked. "You've had this complete one eighty."

"I feel how I feel, Natasha."

"Well, then." she started. "I don't want you anywhere near my sister."

"Why are you so defensive toward her?" Luke asked. "You two don't have any sort of deep relationship but yet you feel the need to play gatekeeper. Why don't you just go ahead and tell her she's a Cassadine? Then Helena can wipe her out like the plague and your entire problem will be solved."

"I don't want her to know, Luke!" Alexis yelled. "Can't you understand that? Or don't you want to?"

"Let's just forget the entire thing." he suggested.

"Alright." she agreed. "But when Skye starts dating other men and she will, then don't whine and mope around because she's not spending her time with you."

"Fine!" he shouted.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I have to get back to my date."

"Who's your date?" he asked, trying to make sure that he didn't piss her off entirely.

"Ric Lansing." she shouted, heading for the door.

He shook his head, "That's a poor choice."

She turned back around. "Well then I guess Skye and I do have something in common."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" he asked, somewhat interested.

"We both have atrocious taste in men!" Alexis opened the door to leave and discovered Skye standing on the opposite side.

"What's all the yelling about?" Skye asked.

"Nothing really." Alexis told her. "Just a disagreement."

"How long have you been standing out there?" Luke questioned.

"If you're implying that I'm spying on you then you're out of your mind. I just walked up to the door and no I didn't hear any of your conversation." Skye snapped. "I just came to tell you that I'm leaving now. Daddy and Monica are insisting that I rest so that I don't have another episode like I did the other night."

"Okay." Luke said simply. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

Skye glared at him for a few seconds and then walked off.

"Gee, Luke could you be anymore compassionate?" Alexis asked, sarcastically.

He opened his mouth to say something.

"I don't want to hear it." she yelled, storming down the hallway, trying to catch up with Skye. It was too late. Her eyes's searched the main room for her sister, but she was no where to be found. Alexis made her way back over to Ric, who was now finished with his phone call. "Have you seen Skye?"

"She just left with Ned." Ric informed her.

"Damn!" Alexis muttered. She took a few deep breaths. "Let's hit the blackjack table."

Ric handed her a glass of Chardonnay. "I think that's an excellent idea."

They both took a seat at the blackjack table. Alexis placed her chips down and continued to play hand after hand, winning almost every time.

"You're pretty good at this." Ric commented.

"It's all in how you play the game." Alexis told him. "Why don't you give it a try?"

"I don't know, I'm not really that good at gambling."

Alexis smiled. "There's nothing to it."

"All right." he agreed.

Alexis placed a few chips down for him and then the dealer gave him two cards. Ric pulled the top of the cards off the table. He had a six and a nine.

"Good." Alexis commented.

"Hit me." he told the dealer.

The dealer tossed another card. Ric turned it over along with his other two cards. "Twenty."

The dealer flipped his cards over. "Nineteen."

"See, you did it!" Alexis said, excitedly. "I told you there was nothing to it."

Ric laughed. "Yeah you did."

A few more rounds of blackjack and a half a bottle of Chardonnay later, Alexis and Ric were back at his apartment. He searched his pants pockets for his keys. "What did I do with my keys?"

"Allow me." she said, slipping her hand into his jacket pocket. She pulled his keys out of his pocket and held them out to him. "Here."

He reached for the keys, his hand covering hers "You have a very good memory counselor."

"Oh, you have no idea." Alexis breathed.

Ric inched closer and closer to her, never letting her hand go. "Do you remember this?" he whispered, brushing his lips against hers. As he started to pull away, she grabbed his shoulder. Her lips crushed his and they engaged in the most delicious kiss.

* * *

Luke climbed up the trellis on the side of the Quartermaine Mansion, he leaned over and opened a window, praying to God the entire time that he didn't fall. He successfully opened the window and climbed inside. He looked down the hallway, he wasn't sure he was in the right wing of the house, everything looked so much alike. 

Voices could be heard coming out of one of the rooms on the left. As he walked further and further he noticed that the voices were those of the Doctors Quartermaine. He continued to walk because he remembered Skye telling him before that her room was next to Tracy's.

Finally he came to the right hallway, or so he hoped. Quietly he opened the first door on the left. The entire room wasn't very well lit. "Skye?" he whispered.

"Last door on the left." Ned responded.

"Thanks." he said, shutting the door behind him. He made his way down the hall and opened the door, closing it softly behind him. "Skye?" Luke called out as he made his way over to the bed. "Skye?"

Luke sat down on the side of the bed. "Skye?" he called again.

She turned over toward him. "Luke, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"I'm in the bed." she groaned.

"Take it easy, it's only ten thirty." he replied. "What are you doing in bed so early anyway?"

"I was told to rest. What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you." he said.

"About what?" she asked, sitting up and turning on the light

His eyes traveled over her body promiscuously. She was wearing a black negligee and from what he could see of it, he knew that there wasn't much more fabric concealed beneath the blankets. "Do you always wear that to bed?" he asked, uneasy.

"Well, I don't real see anything appealing about flannel pajama's." she pointed out. "Is that why you're here, to discuss my choice of bedtime apparel?"

"No. I wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier at the Haunted Star." he said, softly. "I was acting like a total jerk."

"It's fine Luke, you don't have to apologize." she said, just as softly. "How did you get in here anyway?"

"I climbed up the trellis and through the window. I went into the wrong wing and almost walked in on Alan and Monica. You could imagine the look on their faces?" he asked, laughing and then seen the look on her's. "I'm sorry, bad mental image."

"Yeah." Skye agreed.

"Ned pointed me in the right direction." he told her. "So here I am."

She smiled. "Here you are."

"You know earlier that the Haunted Star, Alexis was trying to convince me how great you and I could be together."

"She was?" she asked, surprised.

He nodded. "So, do you think we could we try this out? This together thing."

"That's a really big step Luke." Skye whispered. "What if it doesn't work out?"

"What if it does?" he countered. "We could take things slow, you know, play things by ear. A day at a time."

"Luke, I don't know if that's such a good idea, I mean..."

He moved closer to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Skye, you have no idea how much it took for me to come over here. So please, please don't turn me down."

"Luke." she said, softly. "Are you sure you're not going to change your mind tomorrow?"

Luke moved forward, softly brushing his lips against hers. Skye slid down, resting her head against the pillows, pulling him down with her. He looked into her eyes for several long seconds before covering her mouth with his. He took her bottom lip between his and then her right. Their lips met again and again in a series of fervent kisses. Her mouth opened to his and he graciously accepted the invitation, allowing his mouth to plunder hers. Skye's lips were full, soft and sweet, they were made for kissing.

Skye's arms wrapped securely around his neck, pulling him down even further on top of her, she was melting into him. Luke's hands tangled in her thick red tresses. He trailed kisses down her neck, his breath warm and his mouth even hotter as he tasted her ivory skin. His actions provoked her to verbally expression her gratification.

"Luke." she gasped

He continued the sweet assault on her neck, her hands roamed over his clothed back. Once again their lips met in another explosive kiss, their tongues tangled together furiously. Luke reached for the thin, black strap of her lingerie, Skye pushed his hand away and broke their kiss simultaneously.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We can't." she breathed. "I won't"

TBC...


	4. Fallen

Fallen

He continued the sweet assault on her neck, her hands roamed over his clothed back. Once again their lips met in another explosive kiss, their tongues tangled together furiously. Luke reached for the thin, black strap of her lingerie, Skye pushed his hand away and broke their kiss simultaneously.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"We can't." she breathed. "I won't"

Luke sat up. "What do you mean? I thought we just talked things over, we discussed how we were going to take things slowly. A day at a time..."

"Luke." she said, interrupting him. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what?" he asked, confused.

"We can't take our relationship to the next level." she explained. "Not here, in my bedroom of my family's house."

"It is your bedroom." he pointed out.

"Well, I guess that does hold some merit." she said, with a smile.

Skye leaned forward and attached her lips once again to his. Luke pushed her back against the pillows as he deepened their kiss, letting their lips and their tongues battle heatedly. She explored his mouth with great impatience before suddenly pulling away again.

"What's wrong now?"

"What if someone comes in here?" she asked. "What if Daddy or Monica come to check on me or God forbid Tracy hears something out of the ordinary and comes over here. I do share a wall with Tracy you know."

"Well, then I should go." he said, softly, getting up off the bed.

"Luke." Skye called out, getting up also. "It's not that I don't want to be with you, because I really, really do. It's just that the first time that we make love I want to be completely alone with you. I want us to be able to enjoy ourselves and not worry about other people."

Luke nodded. "I understand."

"Do you?" she asked, hopeful.

"Yes." he replied, honestly. "I should get out of here. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye." she whispered. "Oh and Luke, use the front door."

* * *

Ric took the keys from her hand. "Would you like to come in?" he asked, kissing Alexis' jaw line.

Alexis moved her head, causing his lips to brush against hers once again. They lips intertwined, their tongues struggled passionately as their bodies moved closer and closer together. He back her up against the door, never breaking their kiss. Her arms encircled around his neck.

"Is that a yes?" Ric asked when they finally pulled apart.

"I...I don't think that we be a very good idea." she replied.

Ric smiled devilishly. "Why not?"

"Because." Alexis said, searching her mind. "I have to be in court early tomorrow morning. I have a big case."

"Is it that or are you just afraid that once you come in you may not want to leave?"

Alexis blushed. "Well, counselor, you certainly are confident."

"Is that a challenge?" he asked.

"No."

"Don't you want to try and prove me wrong?" he whispered. "Dueling egos and all that."

"You're cunning."

"Thank you." Ric replied.

"Only you would take that as a compliment."

"Maybe so." he complied. "So, would you like to come inside or not?"

Alexis moved closer to him, she brought her mouth up to his ear. "As delightful as that sounds, I do think that I'm going to pass." she said, pulling back and licking her lips. "Maybe some other time though." she offered, brushing past him.

* * *

The next night at the Haunted Star, Luke glanced across the room to see Alexis. He approached her discreetly. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure?" she replied. "Have a seat."

He reluctantly sat down. "How long have you known?"

"Known about what"? she asked, confused.

"About the Cassadine's."

"Oh." she breathed. "That."

"Yeah, that."

"For a while." she said.

"How long is a while?" he questioned. "A few days, a few months?"

Alexis sighed. "After Nikolas' accident, I was going through some things in Wyndemere and I came across something of my Father's, some kind of journal. In it he talked about his affair with my Mother as well as his affair with Skye's Mother, Rae. At first I didn't think anything of it, I mean just because they had an affair didn't make him Skye's Father."

"Then what happened?"

"Skye was involved in an accident in prison and she needed blood, I turned out to be a perfect match and then I had some DNA ran and it came back saying just what I thought it would say."

"That Skye was your sister."

"Yes." Alexis breathed.

"And you then decided not to tell her."

"Well." she began. "Not exactly. I was going in to tell her, because I thought that she had a right to know, but Alan and Edward were in there with her and they made it so obviously clear that Skye was a Quartermaine and that they excepted her fully and I just didn't want to mess things up. She was happy Luke, she was happy with her family and with a few words I could have taken all that away from her. I just couldn't do it." Alexis confessed.

Luke nodded. "I understand."

"Have you reconsidered your involvement with Skye?" she asked.

"You might say that. I went to the Quartermaine's to see her last night and we worked some things out." Luke told her. "And do you know what, I never once thought of her being a Cassadine. I was just busy looking at her to even notice anything else. I mean do you know what the woman sleeps in?"

Alexis gave him a strange look. "I really don't need to know."

"Anyway, the point is I was there with her and I never once thought of her as being Cassadine." he said, excitedly. "Isn't that a step toward not letting bloodlines get in the way?"

"Was it that Luke or where you too busy doing something else to let it cross your mind?"

"If you're insinuating that I took advantage of Skye then you're wrong." Luke told her. "We talked things over, shared a few kisses and then I left."

"Well, then I guess that is a step in the right direction." she commented.

"Are you sure that she doesn't know?" he asked.

"I'm positive, Luke." Alexis said, glancing over his shoulder. "Here she is now."

Skye didn't bother approaching them, she simply walked over to the bar, talked the bartender about something and then walked back across the room.

"I have to get back to work." he said. "I'll talk to you later."

Luke walked over to where Skye was taking to a few patrons. "Excuse us." he said, taking her by the arm. He lead her out into the hallway.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

Luke moved forward, kissing her throughly on the mouth before pulling away. "Just checking."

"Checking what?"

"To see how compatible we are."

Skye smiled. "I think we already know the answer to that."

"It never hurts to double check." he said, cupping her face in his hands. "Or triple check." he said, softly, covering her lips with his, kissing her delicately.

"Aren't the two of you suppose to be working?" Faith asked. "Not canoodling in the hallway."

Skye and Luke pulled apart. "You're suppose to be the silent partner, Faith, so stay silent." Skye warned.

"Or you'll what?" Faith asked. "Kick me out?"

"Now, that's an excellent idea." Skye agreed.

"Princess, do you think prison made you tough?" Faith snickered. "You're still no match for me."

Skye grabbed Faith and pushed her down the three steps and into the casino. Faith stumbled and fell to the floor. She looked up at the redhead in front of her. "You bitch!" Faith yelled.

Faith pulled herself up, so that she was face to face with Skye. "If you think that you can just come in here after a two month absence and that everything is going to be the way you left it, you're wrong. This is my casino now honey, you are out."

"You think so." Skye challenged.

Faith smiled, wickedly. "I know so."

"Okay, ladies, that's enough." Luke said, interrupting their banter. "Faith, go away."

Faith snickered, but did as he said.

"Is there any particular reason that you're fighting with Faith this evening?" Luke asked Skye.

"Yeah, she started it."

"I think you both proved your points." he commented.

"Well, the night is not over yet."

Luke smiled. "Skye, I want you and Faith to stay away from each other."

"I can't promise anything." she answered.

"I have a suggestion, let's get you out of here."

As Luke and Skye left the Haunted Star, Ric arrived. He spotted Alexis seated over at the bar, he walked over behind her. "Do you mind if I join you?" he whispered in her ear.

Alexis smiled, but was determined not to let her. "Please, be my guest."

He sat down beside her. "Are you working on anything?" he asked.

"No, I just stopped by for a drink after work." she replied. "How did you know where to find me?"

"Good guess." he said with a smile. "Do you like it here?"

"It's really the only place you can get a drink other than at the Cellar." she told him. "It just so happens to be that I like Luke more than I like Carly."

"Don't we all." he commented. "Would you care for some dinner to go along with your drink?"

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

"You're not going to argue with me first?" he asked, somewhat shocked. "Don't tell me you've lost your hostility."

"Of course I haven't." she answered with a smirk. "I know I'm a better attorney than you."

Ric let out a chuckle. "Nope, it's still there."

"You didn't think I went soft over night did you?"

"No, but I do have an idea." he confessed.

"Yeah?" she asked. "What's that?"

"How about I cook you dinner?" he offered.

"You cook me dinner, like at your apartment?" Alexis asked, taking a sip of her martini.

Ric nodded. "Yes."

"You can actually cook?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered. "What do you say?"

Alexis was hesitant. "Well...I guess."

"I'll take that as a yes." he said, standing up. He held out his hand. "Are you ready?"

She smiled and placed her hand in his.

* * *

Luke pulled into the driveway of his house. "I think that Lulu would love for us to take her to the movies."

"Yeah, Luke, it's not Lulu I'm concerned about, it's Lesley. She's not exactly one of my biggest fans."

"What are you talking about?"

Skye sighed. "It's nothing really. When you were missing and I was on trial for murder, she came to the house and basically told me what she thought of me and how she wanted me to stay away from her family. Not that she wasn't completely justified in doing so, Luke, I'm not saying she was wrong, if I was in her place I would have done the exact same thing, but I don't think that me walking in the door with you is going to change the entire mess."

"I'm sure she doesn't think that you're guilty anymore, she knows that Laura is safe now and that you didn't do anything to harm her."

"Still, I wouldn't blame her if she continued to hate me for the rest of her life and she probably still thinks that I was responsible for your kidnaping, you know the one that kept you away from your daughter in the first place?"

"Skye, I assure you that everything's fine now." Luke said, getting out of the car.

"Well, I'm not so sure." she said as he opened her door. "Maybe you should just take Lulu to the movies by yourself."

"We've been over this. You're a constant in my life and therefore I wanted you to know my family."

"I do, Luke, I know Bobbie and Carly and Lucky."

"The entire family, just like I know all of the bloodsucking Quartermaine's." he told her. "Come on, we're going to have a blast."

Luke lead Skye into the Spencer house. Lesley was sitting on the couch watching the evening news.

"Good evening, Lesley."

"Luke, you're a little early."

"Well, Skye and left work a little early." he explained. "We wanted to make sure that we weren't late. You remember Skye, don't you Lesley."

She gave a quick smirk. "Of course and I do believe I owe you an apology dear, I should have never said those things to you at your house."

"It's quite alright." Skye responded with a slight smile. "I deserved it."

"No, you didn't." Lesley replied. "I didn't know all the facts and I automatically assumed the worst.."

"Water under the bridge." Skye with a reassuring smile.

Is Lulu ready to go?" Luke asked.

"Almost." Lesley replied. "She's very excited about seeing the movie, it's all she's talked about all day."

"Daddy, Daddy." Lulu squealed excitedly as she ran down the stairs and jumped into his arms. "I missed you Daddy."

"I missed you to Princess." Luke replied softly. "You remember Skye, don't you?"

"Yes." Lulu smiled. "Skye's your friend."

"That's right." Skye responded. "So, Lulu, are you ready to go to the movies?"

"Yes, I've been waiting all day." Lulu said as Luke put her down. "Bye, Grandma."

"Bye-bye sweetheart. Have a good time." Lesley told her, kissing her on top of the head.

* * *

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" Alexis asked as she picked her wine glass up off the table and moved over to the couch.

"I picked it up in college, you either learn to cook or starve to death." Ric told her as he sat down beside her. "So are you any good?" he asked. "In the kitchen that is?"

"I can prepare some basic dishes, but that's about all."

Ric took a drink of his wine. "Well, maybe I can teach you a few things." he told her, placing his hand over her's that rested on her leg.

Alexis smiled. "What kind of things?" she asked in a whisper.

"All kinds." he said, moving closer to her. "Where would you like to start?"

"Perhaps you could lead the way."

Ric placed his hand under her chin and tilted it up, he moved forward and took her bottom lip between his and then her right, kissing each of them throughly before sensually invading her mouth, over and over again until they were both breathless.

"You like me." Ric said, playful. "You do, I can tell."

"Maybe you're just eluding yourself." she teased. "Or maybe I just want you to think that I like you."

"Well, I can't think of any reason that you would want to believe either one of those fabrications. Because I know that you like me, I can see it."

Alexis glanced at the clock behind her. "We'll see." she told him. "But it's getting rather late."

"Must you always use that as an excuse?" he asked, playfully. "Maybe you really don't like me after all."

"That's not true." Alexis answered, a little too defensively.

"Emotional."

"I am not." Alexis snapped. "I'm just tired that's all."

Ric nodded. "Well then, allow me to walk you to your car."

"That's really not necessary." she told him, getting up. "But thank you for a most lovely evening."

* * *

Luke and Skye had dropped Lulu off at home after the movie and then they headed for the lake house. Just as they turned up the driveway it began to pour down. They ran all the way from the car to the patio doors, where of course Skye couldn't find the proper key. Finally after several seconds of struggle she opened the door.

"Of all the times for it to rain." Luke mumbled.

A drenched Skye threw her purse down on the table. "It's just our luck."

"I know." he breathed. "At least we got Lulu home in time."

"Why don't you go dry off and I'll start a pot of coffee."

"All right." he agreed, making his way down the hallway as she walked toward the kitchen.

He made his way down the hall and into the kitchen, he noticed that the coffee pot had already been turned on and that Skye was nowhere insight. He made his way down the opposite hallway, her bedroom door was halfway open and she was walking toward the bed.

The only light in the room was lamp light and just enough to give the room a warm glow. Skye was standing in partially in front of the mirror, beginning to unbutton her blouse, she happened to glance up and see Luke's reflection. He never attempted to move after he knew that she had seen him. She just simply continued to undo a few more buttons.

Luke pushed the door open and walked over to where she was standing. He pushed her dripping wet red tresses away from the right side of her neck and then touched his warm lips to her wet skin. Skye turned around to face him, letting his fingers undo the rest of the buttons. Their eyes met in a meaningful stare as Luke slipped his hands under the wet fabric and pushed it off her shoulders, letting it hit the floor.

The rain continued to pour down outside, showing no sigh of slacking as Luke ran his hands down her chest and to her breasts, her bra was also soaked and her delicate, ivory skin was slippery wet to his touch. His hands reached the top of her pants, he undid the button and then the zipper, pushing the drenched material down her thighs.

Skye stepped out of her khakis and was left in only her bra and panties before him. Luke who was still completely dressed, took in the entire site before him then took the liberty to promptly remove his shirt and pants, leaving him in only a white tank top and his boxer shorts.

Luke placed a soft kiss on her lips and then took her hand and led her into the bathroom. He turned on the water in the hot tub and made sure it was the perfect temperature before closing off the drain and pouring in some bubble bath. Then he turned his attention back toward Skye, he pulled her close against him, cupping her face in his hands as he kissed her passionately, fiercely and throughly.

Her hands roamed over his biceps and down his back. He pulled away and placed kisses down her neck, letting his lips and his tongue bring about a whole new level of excitement. He worked his magic on the sensitive skin of her neck, while grasping her body against his. Skye felt his mouth leave her, she looked up at him to discover Luke looking into her eyes.. His hands moved down her chest, to her breasts, he snaked his fingers down inside her cleavage and undid the clasp of her bra.

As he pushed the material off her exquisite body, he never once touched her breasts. Then he hooked his fingers on either side of her panties and slowly moved down her body as he slid the material off her. Skye stepped out of her black, lace panties as Luke moved back up her body, stopping to place a soft kiss on her lower abdomen. He stood up and placed another kiss on her lips and then took her hand and lead her over to the tub. He turned the water off took her hand again, helping her step into the tub.

Skye closed her eyes as she sank down into the water, relaxing water, letting it wash away all the cold from her body. And when she opened her eyes Luke was gone. She sighed and closed her eyes again. Luke was so unpredictable, although she was sure that he was going to join her. Skye pushed all thoughts from her mind and indulged in her hot bath.

A few moments later, Skye heard a noise, she opened her eyes to see Luke standing in front of the tub.

"Did you change your mind?" she asked.

* * *

Ric heard a soft knock on his door and when he opened it he was surprised to find Alexis standing on the other side. She had left about an hour ago after she was heading home.

"Alexis." he said, greeting her. "What are you doing back here?"

"I...I." she began. "I came back..."

Ric smiled, he had her exactly where he wanted her. "What did you come back for?"

"So we could finish what we started." she said in one, exasperated breath.

"What would that be?" Ric asked, jokingly.

Alexis moved closer to him. "I was thinking more along the lines of going inside and discussing this further."

"Now that sounds, very, very promising." he told her, leading her inside the apartment and closing the door behind her. "How much time do we have?"

"As much as you'd like." she whispered.

TBC.....

I know that's there's not much of Ric and Alexis, but there will be after things begin to heat up.

Please, please review!!!!


	5. Divulge

Divulge

A few moments later, Skye heard a noise, she opened her eyes to see Luke standing in front of the tub.

"Did you change your mind?" she asked.

"Maybe." he replied. "Or maybe I just left to throw my clothes in the dryer."

Skye smiled. "Well, have it your way." she murmured, closing her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the water.

Luke picked up a wash cloth and then a bottle of body wash off the side table. He dipped the washcloth down into the water and then applied the soap, lathering it up before reaching out for her. "Skye." he whispered.

Her eyes opened and she instinctively turned her around so that her back was toward him. He moved the washcloth slowly down her back, letting his hand dip into the water, then back up again to her neck. Luke moved in to place the most delicate kiss between her shoulder blades, catching Skye off guard. Never-the-less, she took the sweet gesture to heart, adding it to the surprisingly long list of his charms.

After a few more strokes with the washcloth he dropped it into the water, Skye turned around to face him. "Are you going to join me?" she asked, softly.

Luke smiled. "I'd love to..."

"But?" Skye asked.

"I can't." he told her. "I'm waiting for my clothes to dry."

"And it's going to take awhile." she reminded him. "Besides, it's pouring down out there, you don't have to leave, you can stay here."

"Well..." he started. "You're right, it is raining pretty hard and you do have an extra bedroom."

"An extra bedroom." she repeated. "I invite you to stay the night here and you bring up the fact that I have an extra bedroom?"

"Yeah."

"After all those months of you trying to get me into bed, you finally have the opportunity and you don't even try to take advantage of it?" she asked, pretending to be offended.

Luke nodded. "That's right."

"Well, I'm surprised." she laughed.

"Since you've given me the perfect opportunity I'm going to have to turn you down." he explained. "Otherwise it wouldn't be exciting and spontaneous."

"I know that you like living on the edge and all that crap, but you've seriously sometime in the near future examine reality."

"I'll make a note of it in my palm pilot." he joked. "That way I'll never forget. Sunday: Church, Monday: Lulu's soccer game and Tuesday: Examine reality."

"Haha, very funny." she said, sarcastically.

"I thought you liked my humor?" he asked.

"Not at this particular moment in time." she said, reaching for the towel.

"You're not done already are you?"

"I guess I am." Skye said, standing up to wrap the towel around her.

Luke stood up to face her. "You know, you confuse the hell out of me."

"Is that so?" she asked, playing dumb.

"Yes." he breathed.

"Well, Luke." she began, in her best southern accent. "I just don't know what it is that you want from little ole me."

He reached forward, snapping the towel off of her. "You're bath's not over yet." he murmured. When she complied and sat down, he removed his undershirt and his boxers and joined her. "Would you like me to light some more candles?" he asked, sinking down into the luxurious bubble bath.

"No, the lamplight from the bedroom is enough." she assured him,

"Why are you sitting all the way over there?" he asked., pulling her closer to him.

Skye smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

Luke's hand dipped under the water and he gripped her waist, pulling her closer to him, until she was straddling him. His hands caressed her back softly as he leaned in to kiss her neck, placing small butterfly kisses on her sensitive skin. Her fingers threaded through his platinum hair, pulling him even closer against her. Skye reveled in the enjoyment of Luke's lips stroking the side of her neck thoroughly.

"Would you care to move this out of the tub?" he asked.

Skye's kissed his lips and took his bottom lip between hers then slowly released it. "What if I'm comfortable right where I am?"

"What if it's not about comfort?"

"You did draw this nice warm bubble bath and I'd hate to let it all go to waste." she said, moving back in the tub so that she could turn around.

"Well, if you feel that strongly about it."

Luke relaxed against the porcelain of the tub, he pulled Skye between his legs. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. Maybe you would have never been sent to prison."

Skye stared at the tiles on the bathroom floor. "I'm not sure it would have made much difference. Either it doesn't matter, that was then, this is now. If there's one thing I've learned it's that you can't live in the past."

"You're absolutely right." Luke agreed. "Sometimes you have to move on no matter how much it hurts." he brought his hand up to push her wet locks way from her face.

Skye relaxed against him. "Luke, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that Laura should be forgotten or pushed aside."

"I know." he countered. "And I didn't take it that way. I know that I can't make the past right, but I also know that I can make sure that what happened to you never happens again."

"And how are you going to do that?" she asked, softly.

"I don't know." he confessed. "But I'll figure something out. I always do."

"Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure." he complied, placing a few small kisses on the side of her neck.

"You know Luke, I was only half serious before. If you want to stay in the guestroom then that's perfectly fine with me."

"I wasn't serious at all when I said that I wanted to stay in the guest room."

She smiled, confident that Luke couldn't see her. "Really?" she asked.

"Yes and if you'd care to step out of the tub I plan to show you how very serious I am."

Skye got out of the tub, toweled off slightly and then made her way into the bedroom, Luke was only steps behind her.

Luke stopped her and turned her around to face him. "Do you remember when I told Edward that my plan was to ravish you everyday and in return have you ravish me every night?" Luke asked her, stepping in closer and closer until there was no space left between them.

"Vaguely." she answered softly.

"I'm a man of my word." he whispered.

Skye smiled. "So, you're going to ravish me?"

"No." he said firmly. "You're going to ravish me."

"Okay." she agreed. "I can do that."

Luke backed up a few steps. "You know what? I've changed my mind." he told her. His hand reached for her towel. He undid it and used both sides to pull her toward him, against him. "So it's up to you Blaze, do you want to have a night of wild passion or do you want me..."

"Oh, I want you." she breathed, interrupting him.

"Those are the magic words." he told her, claiming her lips.

Their lips fused together intensely, before she suddenly pulled away. "Luke are you sure you want to do this? Because once we've made love there's no taking it back."

"I know." he told her softly. "And I'm sure."

She kissed his lips softly. "I think that I'm falling in love with you." she breathed out.

Luke's mind raced, traveling to the stored information in his mind. Skye was a Cassadine. A bloodsucking, Cassadine. He hated Cassadine's. He just looked at her for several long seconds, not responding to anything. Love and a Cassadine. He was in big trouble.

Skye let out a heavy sigh. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No." he said, snapping back into reality. "I'm glad you did, before things went any further."

She pulled away from him and wrapped the towel back around her body. "This changes everything doesn't it?"

Luke was silent.

"What about all those things you said about wanting to give us a chance? About wanting to take things a step at a time?" she asked. "If you think that we can just be friends and have a casual sex relationship then I'm sorry Luke, I can't do that. I won't."

"I'm going to be in the guestroom." Luke informed her, leaving the room.

* * *

"Now that sounds, very, very promising." Ric told her, leading her inside the apartment and closing the door behind her. "How much time do we have?"

"As much as you'd like." she whispered.

"What about Kristina?" he asked.

"I read her a bedtime story and tucked her in." she told him. "Any other questions?"

"None." he breathed, stepping closer to her so that their lips were only mere inches apart.

"Good." she murmured, moving forward to capture his lips, giving him a long, sensual kiss before pulling away.

Ric took her purse out of her hand and threw it onto the desk. "Did you have anything in particular in mind?" he asked as he began kissing her neck.

"No, I just thought that since we've been getting along so much better that we could keep working on our relationship."

"We have a relationship now?" he asked against her warm skin.

She didn't answer him.

Ric stopped and tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. "We both know why you came back. You don't have to play coy now."

"I'm not playing coy." she argued. "I'm just shocked that you thought that I came all the way back over here to have sex with you."

"Then you didn't?" he asked.

She slid out of his arms. "Didn't what?"

"Come back to spend the night."

"Most certainly not." she said defensively, her face turning three different shades of red.

"So, I'm suppose to believe that you came back just to talk?"

"Yes." Alexis said, flatly. "Because it's true."

"Did you think that our talking might lead to sex?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Is your mind constantly on sex?"

"No, it's just that we were doing so great earlier and then you came back and thought that you'd like to finish what you started."

"What I started?" she questioned. "You're the one who kissed me earlier tonight."

"You kissed me." he insisted.

"You kissed me, Ric." she argued.

"You know what?" he asked, loudly. "It doesn't matter who kissed who."

"You know, Ric, I thought you were different." Alexis said, softly. "It doesn't matter now."

"Why not?" he asked, just as softly.

"Because I'm leaving." she shouted, storming out of the apartment.

"Alexis!" Ric called after her. "Alexis, I was just joking."

* * *

The Next Afternoon

Ric walked around the side of the pool and knelt down beside the float that Skye was stretched across. He dipped his hand down into the surprisingly warm pool water then splashed it across Skye's abdomen.

"Hey!" she yelled, opening her eyes. "What do you think you're doing?"

"You looked so...incredibly hot....I just thought some water would cool you down."

"Maybe I didn't want to get wet." she countered.

"Why else would you be in the swimming pool?" Ric asked.

"To tan."

He laughed. "You're a redhead, you'll burn if you lay out here long enough."

"I have on sun block." she assured him.

"Yeah?" he asked. "It looks like you could use a little more."

"Well, I'll just hop out and reapply some more." she told him, moving herself over to the ladder where she climbed out. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for you and your loving Aunt Tracy pointed me in this direction."

"Loving and Tracy do not belong in the same sentence." she replied. "Is this about Ross?"

"No." he answered. "Today's my day off."

"The almighty DA gets a day off?" she teased, walking toward the lounge chair.

He followed her. "Even the devil takes a day off."

"If you're referring to Luke that makes you absolutely right."

"I take it you and Luke are on the outs."

Skye sat down and picked up the bottle of suntan lotion. "Give me your hand." she told him, ignoring his question. She poured the sun block into the palm of his hand.

Ric sat down behind her and began working the lotion onto her shoulders. "You're hot." he noted. "I mean to the touch." he said, quickly clearing up any misunderstanding.

"I'm insulted."

"I didn't mean to imply that....."

"Ric, loosen up, I was just joking. Although I would see how you would have trouble determining a joke from a serious quip."

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked, picking up the bottle of sun block and pouring more into his hand.

"Nothing." she assured him. "It's just that Alexis is always very serious."

"What does Alexis have to do with?"

"You spend a lot of time together, I just assumed...."

Ric cut her off. "You shouldn't assume."

"Sorry. Sensitive subject." she replied.

"Yeah." he breathed.

"Make sure it's well coated." she reminded him, changing the subject.

"I will." he answered, delicately massaging it into her skin. "You're skin's like velvet." he murmured into her ear, his breath warm against her.

Skye felt chills shoot down her spine. The exact same way they did when Luke kissed her, but she pushed it out of her mind, telling herself it was just the cool breeze blowing through.

His fingers untied the string of the back of her bathing suit and then his hand glided over the smooth skin. "You seem tense." he commented.

"Nothing a little swim won't cure."

Ric finished rubbing in the sun block, he reached for the strings of her bathing suit top and carefully tied them back together. "All done."

"Thank you." Skye said softly, turning around to face him. "Are you going to join me?"

"I was thinking I might."

"You can change in the pool house." she instructed him.

"I'll be right be back." he said, heading to get changed.

Skye sat down at table underneath the umbrella. She looked up to see Alan approaching from across the garden. He made his way over to her. "Skye, I'm glad I caught you."

"Is something the matter, Daddy?" she asked, removing her sunglasses.

"No, I just wanted to make sure that you were going to be here later this evening."

"Well, actually I was going to go to the Haunted Star..."

"I'd like you to be here, we're having a little get together and I would appreciate it if you were there."

"Of course I'll be here." she told him. "May I bring a guest?"

"Luke?" he asked.

"Maybe." she said softly. "If I can find him."

"Skye I just want you to be happy." Alan told her. "And if Luke makes you happy then bring him, but it's getting to the point where he's making you miserable then you're better off without him."

Skye nodded, knowing that he was right.

"I'll see you tonight." Alan kissed her forehead and headed back toward the house.

A few minutes later Ric appeared. "Why aren't you in already?"

"I was waiting on you." she told him.

"Well, then I guess I'll repay you by not throwing you in the water."

"You wouldn't." she challenged.

"Wouldn't I?" he countered, walking around to where she was. He took her hands and pulled her up out of the chair.

"Ric, don't you dare!"

"I can't resist a dare." he breathed, trying to get a good enough grip on her so that he could throw her in the pool. Skye laughed as he struggled to catch her and failed miserably.

Finally he got the upper hand on her. He grabbed her from behind with one arm around her waist and another around her shoulder's. She wasn't going anywhere.

"Do you give up?" he asked her.

"Never." she breathed.

"Wrong answer." he laughed, walking her closer to the edge of the pool. "If you ask nicely I might let you go."

Instead she tried to free herself. Ric inched her closer and closer to the edge. "Skye, be a good girl."

That made her laugh even more, if there was something she wasn't it was a good girl. "Go ahead Ric, push me in, but you're coming with me."

"You asked for it." he laughed, pushing her forward and then falling in with her.

"Ric!" Skye screamed. "I'm never going to forgive you for this."

He placed his arm around her and pulled her over to where they could both stand. "Doesn't the water feel great?" he asked, ignoring her screams.

"Wonderful." she answered sarcastically.

Ric pushed some of the wet hair out of her face. "What's wrong, don't you like the water?"

She looked up and her eyes met his. "It's fine." she said, softly.

"So, I'm surprised that you're not at the Haunted Star going over books or something."

"And waste this beautiful day." she replied. "Besides I'd much rather be here."

"Well, since be both seem to have the day off, I say we make it productive."

"Productive how?" she asked

"I'll get to know a little better, you can get to know me a little better." he answered. "Come on, it'll be fun." When she didn't answer right away he pretended to pout.

Skye laughed at the face he was making. "I guess it wouldn't be that bad."

"See, you're liking me more already."

"I'm still never going to forget that you had me sent to prison."

Ric's mouth opened but nothing came out.

"That was the joking thing again." she said. "You really do need to loosen up."

"That's what throwing you in the pool was all about."

"Uh-huh." she breathed. "I guess since Luke and Alexis are so close that we should try to get along. I mean that is the point isn't it?"

"You might say that."

* * *

Alexis answered the door of her apartment to find Luke standing on the other side. "Since when do you knock?" she asked.

"I knock."

"No." she laughed. "No you don't, you usually just crawl through a window or something."

Luke closed the door behind him. "I didn't want to walk right in ya know, with you being all cozy with Lansing."

"I don't want to talk about Ric." she told him, taking a seat on the sofa.

He followed her and sat down beside her. "What did the big idiot do?"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it." she insisted.

Luke was silent for several seconds, allowing her to gather her thoughts. "I need you to help me out with something."

"What?" she asked, hesitantly. "It doesn't involve breaking the law does it?"

"No." he answered. "At least I don't think so."

"All right, let's hear what it is."

"You see, I really, really like Skye." he started. "She's like the female version of me."

"I wouldn't go that far." she interjected.

"Close enough." he added. "Anyway the problem is that Cassadine thing keeps popping up in my mind at the most inconvenient moments."

"Well, Luke if you would stop thinking about and how much you hate the Cassadine's it wouldn't be a problem."

"How am I suppose to do that?"

"Think like this. Skye's a Quartermaine." she told him. "Go ahead and say it. Skye is a Quartermaine."

"See, that's just it, it doesn't work. I know that's she's a Cassadine." he explained. "I was thinking that if you told her who she really is that it would be a little easier on me."

"Luke, this isn't about you. This is about Skye and her safety."

"But if you tell her I can protect her."

She looked at him for several seconds. "I don't think so."

"Come on, Natasha, just help me out." he pleaded.

"No." she said, firmly. "And it shouldn't matter to you anyway you only hate the Cassadine men."

"And Helena."

"Helena's not a blood Cassadine." Alexis reminded him. "And I thought you liked me?"

"I do like you, it's just that I really need you to help me out on this."

"Luke." Alexis sighed. "Let's try to figure out this problem together okay? You only have a problem with Skye being a Cassadine when the two of you are having a close moment, right?"

"Well..." Luke trailed off. "I guess...you could...say that."

"Maybe you have a problem with intimacy." Alexis suggested.

Luke laughed. "Me?" he asked. "Me, Luke Spencer having a problem with intimacy? I don't think so."

"Okay then." she said, slowly.

"Natasha, I'm telling you it's the Cassadine thing."

Alexis nodded. "If you say so."

"I can be intimate." he told her.

"Yeah, I'm not so convinced."

"No?" he asked. Without thinking about anything, he grabbed her and pulled her closer to him, planting a big, wet kiss right on her lips. "How's that for intimate?"

Everything suddenly became silent as they unconsciously moved closer together. Alexis looked into Luke's eyes, they were telling herself to stop, to think. She was a rational human being. But it wasn't about rationality. Their lips brushed together softly, then intertwined, exploring each other's mouths with great anticipation. And it was one of _those_ kisses. The kind that could ruin a perfectly good friendship.

TBC....

Thanks to all the people who reviewed!

Please review again!!!!!


	6. Forethought

Forethought

Everything suddenly became silent as they unconsciously moved closer together. Alexis looked into Luke's eyes, they were telling her to stop, to think. She was a rational human being. But it wasn't about rationality. Their lips brushed together softly, then intertwined, exploring each other's mouths with great anticipation. And it was one of _those_ kisses. The kind that could ruin a perfectly good friendship.

After several cloudy moments of judgement, they both broke apart, although it didn't last very long. Their lips continued to meet over and over again in a series of breathless kisses. Luke pushed Alexis back against the couch, his lips never left hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her.

Suddenly Alexis pulled away. "I think you've proved your point." she said, breathlessly.

Luke didn't respond, instead he captured her lips in his, kissing her thoroughly while his hands made their way down the front of her blouse, ripping the buttons open. His lips kissed down her neck and then down her chest. And Alexis didn't stop him, instead she encouraged him with the small moans that escaped through her parted lips.

Alexis found her hands pulling on either side of his shirt as he continued to manipulate her neck with his lips. All thoughts of sanity and reality had stopped on both their parts. They were no longer thinking. the consequences were the farthest thing from their minds. Lost in the moment and in time. Alexis struggled to find an ounce of sanity within her, but she was failing miserably.

When Luke sat up to remove his shirt, Alexis was finally hit by the reality. "Luke." she breathed.

"What's wrong?" he asked, just as breathless.

"We can't do this, it's not right."

Luke pulled his shirt back on his shoulders, he moved off of Alexis and began to button his shirt back up. "I'm sorry." he murmured, knowing things had went too far.

Alexis sat up, pulling her shirt together. "It's really alright, although, I think that we've figured out your problem."

"Yeah?" he asked. "What's that?"

She began to button her shirt back up. "Obviously, you're not obsessing over the Cassadine issue."

Luke grinned. "Well, I'm not obsessing over the intimacy issue."

"No, you're not obsessing over the physical intimacy." she assured him. "It's the emotional issue."

"Intimacy is intimacy." he mumbled.

"No, it's not." Alexis argued. "Luke if we would have gone any farther the only thing it would have proved is that you were ready and willing to take me to bed because you're not in love with me."

"What are you trying to say?"

"That maybe you're in love with Skye." she said, softly and slowly.

"No." he argued.

Alexis sighed heavily. "Well, it's not the Cassadine thing."

"Yes it is!" Luke objected loudly. "It's the damn Cassadine's."

"If it was, you would have pulled away from me just now."

"I don't think of you as a Cassadine."

"Un-huh, Luke, that's not going to work." Alexis told him.

"Well, I'm not in love with Skye."

"All right." she breathed. "I'm not about to argue with you."

"I'm gonna go." he told her, getting up and heading toward the door. "I'll see you later."

* * *

Skye sailed around the pool in a raft as Ric continued to try and impress her with his diving abilities.

"Wow, you are pretty good." she told him as he made his way over to the raft.

"You're never suppose to brag if you don't have something to back it up with." he joked, "but I guess that you already knew that."

"I'm just sorry that I don't have any diving abilities to show you." Skye joked.

Ric smiled that wicked smile. "That's alright, maybe you can impress me with something else."

"Impress you?" she asked. "Why would I want to do that?"

"So that you remain on my good side."

"Maybe you are as crooked as everyone says you are." Skye challenged.

Ric winked. "Maybe."

"I think that you're much softer than everyone says you are." Skye told him. "Other than your obvious hate for Sonny, which is well deserved I'm sure."

"I take it you don't like him either." he commented.

"That greasy little slim ball belongs in prison."

"I couldn't agree more." he told her, moving her raft back and fourth. "Why don't you hop off of here and take a swim."

"I already had one thank you."

"Don't make me flip you off this raft." he warned playfully.

"Did you ever think that maybe I didn't want to get wet?"

"Then maybe you should have thought about that before you put on your little scanty bathing suit and came out here."

"Scanty?" she laughed. "How did we go from getting wet to my choice in bathing suit apparel?"

"I have no idea." he said. "However, I'm sorry that I insulted your bathing suit apparel."

"You're such a smart ass, Ric."

"Well thank you." he said, almost sincerely.

"You take the strangest things as compliments." she laughed.

"I've been told that before."

"By Alexis?" she asked.

"Yes." he answered, slowly. "So I've got a suggestion." he said, changing the subject.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"I say that we get out of here and go grab some lunch."

"The entire Quartermaine staff is at your disposal and you want to go out for lunch?" she questioned. "I can have Cook fix anything you'd like to eat."

"What if I'd like go out?" he interrupted. "I don't think it's healthy for you to sit here at your parent's house all day long and do nothing."

"Are you a doctor now?" she asked.

"No. Just come on Skye, let's just go out for lunch." Ric pleaded. "Are you afraid that you might have a little fun?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem? You don't want to be seen having lunch with high profile officer of the law?"

"Ric, you're so full of crap." Skye laughed. "But if it means that much to you then we'll go out to lunch."

"I thought you'd see it my way."

Twenty minutes later Skye and Ric were sitting at the Cellar. Ric shifted forward in his seat, leaning closer to the table. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"How personal?" she asked.

"Very."

"You can ask, but it doesn't mean that I'm going to answer."

"Okay." he agreed. "Fair enough. I want to know about your relationship with Luke."

"Luke and I do not have a relationship." she said, painfully. "Luke can't let go of the past and I'm not about to force him to forget about Laura. I just don't want to be the woman he settles for because he can't have her. I don't want what happened with Jax and I to happen again."

"What happened with Jax?"

"We were in love, or at least I thought we were, maybe I was just kidding myself. That's not the point, the point is that we were doing great until his ex returned from the dead. His true love. If I would have realized that I couldn't have competed with her from the beginning I never would have tried. I ended up being the bad guy and Jax and Brenda were the perfect couple." Skye told him. "Now when I look back the only thing I think about is how I could let a man bring me down to that level of disgracefulness."

"You don't think you could find love with Luke?" he asked.

"No, that's just it, I know that I could. I mean all the signs are there, the one's that scream that heartache is up ahead. I just don't want to put myself in that position again. Because God knows that if Laura would walk through the door he'd be gone before I could blink."

"I don't about that. I've seen the way Luke looks at you. I think he loves you and I think that you know he loves you. He's just scared to admit it. Luke knows that you've been hurt in the past maybe he's afraid of hurting you again."

"You make it sound so simple."

"Isn't it?" he asked. "Sometimes life is just that simple, people just tend to make it complicated. More complicated than it ever has to be."

"Maybe so, maybe not. I know now that I can't give my heart over to Luke and expect him not to break it."

"That risk comes with every relationship." Ric reminded her.

"I'm just tired of Luke dancing around me. He made it very clear to me last night where we stand." she told him. "Luke wants to be friends with benefits and I can't go there again. I won't. I think the best thing for Luke and I both is to cut our losses and move on."

"Is that what you want to do Skye?" he asked. "You want to move on?"

"I don't have any other choice."

"You have more choices than you realize."

"Listen to me. I'm sitting here pouring my heart out to a man who sent me to prison. I don't think my life could possibly get any worse."

"Come on, Skye, I'm not all that bad."

"I guess not." she countered. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Let's just say that I've been there before. That I know what its like to be completely devoted to someone and have them blow you off. And no matter how many times you try to show them or try to prove to them how you feel it's just never good enough and eventually you lose hope, you give up or you do something to screw up."

"Screwing up is what I do best."

"Me too." he agreed. "Sometimes no matter how hard you try you just can't get it right."

"So now I have to figure out where to go from here." Skye told him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I'm going to subtly remove myself from Luke's sphere."

"Port Charles is a small town." he reminded her.

"I lived here for two years before ever running into him before and if not then I'll just leave and find somewhere new to start over."

"Running away is never the answer, Skye. Believe me, all your transgressions will eventually catch up with you, no matter how hard or how fast you run." Ric said softly. "And then one day it'll hit you, the one thing you've ran from is what you needed most in life and there may never be a way to get any of it back."

"I'm searching for redemption, Ric and I'm running out of places to look."

"Did it ever occur to you that you're looking in all the wrong places?"

"Sometimes you just have to walk away, no matter what the cost." Skye said softly. "What about you Ric, you like Alexis don't you?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Alexis is..."

"Beautiful. Intelligent. Successful. Uptight." she named off. "I could go on and on."

"Alexis is all that and more."

"So what's the problem?"

Ric sighed. "She's Alexis, she's different from any woman I've ever known. It's just that she gives me mixed signals, she confuses the hell out of me and then gets upset and flies off the handle when I take things the wrong way. Alexis doesn't know what she wants out of herself, much less anyone else and I don't know where to go from there."

"Sounds like Alexis and Luke would make the perfect couple or in their case the perfect non couple. They could spend forever just dancing around each other and never really getting anywhere. That would be heaven for Luke because he's terrified of commitment and happiness and Alexis because she just so uptight about absolutely everything."

"They would make the perfect match, why don't you give them the heads up?"

"Maybe they've already figured that out." she suggested. "Maybe they're together right now." she joked, not knowing how close to the truth she had actually been.

"The thought of that doesn't bother you?" he asked.

"The thought of what?"

"Luke with another woman."

"Oh.' she breathed. "I told you I was moving on. What about you Ric? What did you do that was so completely horrible that Alexis went running in the other direction?"

"I made Alexis dinner the other night. I thought we were having a really great time, she left to get home to Kristina, but then she came back."

"Then what happened?" she asked.

"I suggested the idea of sex and she went on a rant and then walked out."

"You should have taken things slower with her."

"I don't know how much slower I'm suppose to go, I've been dancing around her since May and here it is September and it fells like we're still in the same exact spot we were months ago."

Skye laughed. "Try waltzing with Luke since last fall."

"Almost a year." Ric pointed out. "I guess you're entitled to give up on him on now, hell you were entitled to give up on him six months ago, but there was something that made you stay. Something that kept you two together."

"Yeah, the murder of a Detective." she laughed. "Luke likes living on the edge and I just can't handle it, not the way he can anyway. And besides now is a perfect time to cut my losses."

"You wanna know what I think?"

"Not really."

"I'm going to tell you anyway." he told her. "I think that you're in love with Luke and I think that when he pushes you away it only makes you love him more. You like challenges and it's clear to me that Luke is a huge challenge for you. You think that you might be able to tame him, to make a husband and potentially a Father out of him. You're a dreamer, Skye and maybe you can, maybe you can help Luke settle down. Or maybe you're just setting yourself up for a failure you already know is there."

"Are you trying to talk me into having a relationship with Luke or are you trying to talk me out of it?" she asked, slightly confused. "Because you've contradicted yourself."

"I'm just laying the options out in front of you, that's all." he said softly. "And besides there are plenty of eligible men in Port Charles just dying for there chance with you."

"There are no eligible men in Port Charles."

"There's Jax."

"Been there, regretfully done that."

"There's... no, wait, you're related to Jason, there's...no you're related to Justus too and Dillon, although that didn't stop you from pursuing Ned."

"Hey!" she interjected. "Ned's a great friend."

"Okay, let's see who else, there's that new doctor, Steven Webber, Lorenzo Alcazar, Lucky."

"Lucky is Luke's son." Skye pointed out.

"I just thought it would add a little spice to your life." Ric commented.

"I think I'll pass."

"What about Sonny?"

"Not even if he were the last man on earth and human reproduction depended on it." Skye laughed. "I think you should keep your day job. Matchmaking doesn't seem to be your strong suit."

"There's always me." he said rather slyly.

Again she laughed. "I don't think so, Ric."

"Why not?" he asked, seriously.

"Have you forgotten about Alexis?" she asked. "The one you were sulking over."

"Alexis keeps making it clear to me that things aren't going to work out between the two of us."

"You don't know until you try.' she offered. "Alexis may be the best thing that's ever happened to you."

"I'd like to believe that." he said with a weak smile. "Although I know it's not true."

* * *

Alexis walked in the main room on the Haunted Star. It was very quiet and why wouldn't it be, it was only three in the afternoon. She thought that Luke might be here, that maybe they could talk a little more about what he had came to see her about. That and she wanted his opinion, a male opinion on what to do about Ric.

"Luke?" she called out. "Luke, are you here?"

Faith came walking out. "Luke's in his office, he said he doesn't want to be bothered."

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's upset." Faith told her, fixing herself a drink. "Would you like a drink?"

"No thanks." she answered. "What's he upset about?"

Faith shrugged. "I don't know, if I had to guess I would say it's something to do with that little tramp he calls a girlfriend."

Alexis sighed. "Skye?"

"Is there anyone else?"

Alexis made her way down the hallway, she walked down toward the end of the hall and stopped in front of Luke's closed door. "Luke, it's me, can I come in?"

"It's open." he mumbled.

Alexis pushed the door open and walked in. Luke was lying on the couch, a bottle of whiskey in his left hand.

"What can I do for you Natasha?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you." she said, shutting the door behind her.

"Haven't we done this before?" Luke asked feeling that sense of deja-vu

"Somewhat." Alexis admitted. "I just think that if you confessed what you were feeling that you would feel a lot better."

"You want me to feel better Alexis?" Luke questioned. "Is that why you tracked me down, so that I can get this weight off my chest?"

"Luke, I just want you to understand that I'm trying to help you out."

"I don't take charity." he yelled.

"It's not charity, Luke, I'm you're friend and I don't want to see you hurting like this." she explained. "Please, please don't turn me away."

"I'm just a little confused right now. I need time to sort some things out before I go and see Skye."

"Okay." she agreed. "If that's what you want. I just hope it isn't too late when you've finally made up your mind. Women like Skye, they don't wait forever and she tends to get bored fairly easily."

"There you go defending her again."

"I'm not defending Skye, I'm just telling you the information I've gathered from being around her. Deep down I truly believe that she's a good person and I think you already know that. She needs to know how you feel about her, it's only fair. I'm sure she's told you how she feels about you."

"I can't handle the way she feels for me." he confessed. "It's scary and the last thing I want to do is hurt her, I've already caused her so much agony with trying to cover up a murder and look where it got her."

"Thanks to poor, Luke, right?" Alexis said, annoyingly. "You need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and find Skye before it's too late."

Luke got up off the sofa and walked over to where she was sitting on the edge of his desk, he took her hands in his. "I think it's very sweet of you to come all the way down here just to give me a kick in the pants."

He fell silent and just at her remember the events earlier in the evening. "I want to apologize for what happened before. I was out of line and I never meant to do anything to make you uncomfortable." he said softly, "I'm really sorry."

"There's no reason for you to apologize." she said just as softly. "You shouldn't regret this afternoon. I don't."

Luke stepped closer to her, closing in the space between them. He didn't know how or why but his lips seemed to brush against hers. "I guess I'm not sorry then."

Alexis' lips willingly met his. She came to the Haunted Star thinking of their earlier incident as just something that had gotten out of control because their emotions were both running into overdrive. But now she wasn't so sure. Maybe somewhere along the way things had changed.

* * *

"I've never seen this place quite this empty before." Ric commented, looking around the Haunted Star.

"I've seen it this way too many times." Skye answered softly.

"Are you disappointed that Luke's not here?" he asked.

"Yeah and a little relieved." she admitted. "Although I did work up all this courage to tell him how it's going to be and now I'm not so sure that I can go through with my original plan."

"I'm not about to tell you what to do." he told her. "Because you need to do what's best for you and only you can decided that. I just don't like that look in your eye."

"What look?"

"The look of hopelessness." he told her. "You're eyes are so memorizing it's a shame to see them filled with such sadness."

"Well, thank you, Ric." Skye replied softly.

Ric stepped closer to her, his hand gently touched the side of her face. "I think that Luke Spencer is a damned fool not to want you."

"And I'm an even bigger fool to ever believe one word he said to me." she confessed. "But I can't help it. I love him."

TBC......

Sorry for the delay. I'm trying to balance school and writing. Thanks for the reviews.

Please Review!!!


	7. Desultory

Desultory

Ric stepped away from her, his earlier intention was to give her a soft kiss on the lips, but not after hearing her confess that she loved Luke Spencer, the same man she was planning never to associate with again.

"What's wrong?" Skye asked softly.

"Nothing." Ric told her. "I was going to kiss you but I've changed my mind."

"Why?" she asked.

"Why was I going to kiss you? Because you're lips looked so incredibly inviting that I didn't think I could possibly stand here another minute without kissing you."

"No." Skye breathed. "Why did you change your mind?"

"Because you just admitted that you loved Luke." Ric reminded her. "I'm not about to kiss you knowing that you would be imagining Luke instead of me."

"How do I know that you weren't going to be kissing me and thinking of Alexis?"

Ric shrugged. "You don't."

"Well then I guess we'll never know." she whispered as she breezed past him and over to the bar. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

"No." he answered, following her. "Do you always walk away when things get the slightest bit complicated?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." she breathed out. "I simply walked across the room to get a drink, you're the one who followed me so I guess the real question is do you always stalk women?"

"Stalking?" he laughed. "Now that I'm not taking as a compliment."

"What happened Ric, did you grow some morals over lunch?"

"Now, Skye, there's no reason for you to be bitter."

She smiled. "And there's no reason for you to be so uptight. Maybe Alexis has worn off on you."

"Ouch." he replied. "Aren't we moody?"

"Not in least." she answered. "I'm just trying to prevent you from making a serious mistake."

"A mistake?"

"Yes. You don't realize what you have."

"What do I have?" he asked.

"You have Alexis and the start of something that could be everything you were searching for in life. All those things you tried desperately hard to find with Elizabeth and failed. You have the chance to start over with a really great woman. I mean sure she has her flaws and the Cassadine's are her family, but she's a wonderful attorney and Mother."

"Do you always make it a habit to point out what you see in Alexis to every man who's interested in her?"

"Just you." she assured him. "Would you mind doing me a favour?"

"If I can." he replied.

"Will you come with me tonight to the Quartermaine's?" she asked. "They're having a dinner party and I promised Daddy that I'd be there."

"You don't wanna take Luke?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, Luke's not exactly on the family's good side at the moment. Especially Grandfather's."

"So who's going to be at this soirée?" he asked.

"Well, Daddy, Monica, Grandfather and probably Heather." she listed. "Aunt Tracy, Ned and some others, you'll probably know most everyone there."

"A whole evening with the Quartermaine's." he commented. "You know what I will take that drink."

"You're going to need more than one." Skye laughed. "What would you like?"

"Gin and tonic."

Skye turned around to face the bar, she scanned it looking for the gin. "Well, that's not right, we can't be out." she mumbled. "I'll just run to the store room really quick."

"No." Ric said stopping her. "I'll go get it."

"Last door on the left." she told him.

* * *

Alexis' lips willingly met Luke's. She came to the Haunted Star thinking of their earlier incident as just something that had gotten out of control because their emotions were both running into overdrive. But now she wasn't so sure. Maybe somewhere along the way things had changed. 

Luke's hand cupped her face as his lips stroked her's. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sliding her body slightly off the desk and against him as their kiss escalated into something much more than friendly. After a few moments they broke apart.

"This has to stop!" she told him. "I don't know what's going on between us but whatever it has to stop."

"I know." he agreed, stepping away from her. "What are we going do?"

"Maybe we can try to figure out what the problem is and fix it." Alexis suggested. "Because things like these can't keep happening."

He nodded. "We'll just put an end to it."

Alexis walked toward the door. "Right." she said, turning around to face him.

"Yeah." he agreed as they moved closer and closer together.

The tension in the room was so thick it could have been cut with a knife and once again their lips tangled together in a passionate kiss. The one thing they had just agreed to fix was something they couldn't seem to control.

Ric made his way back in the boat, as he went further and further down the hallway he noticed that there was a light on in one of the rooms, he passed the door anyway and headed directly for the store room. He quickly found the gin, turned off the light and closed the door behind him. As he was walking back down the hallway he stopped at the door he had seen earlier, the one with the light on. He didn't hear any voices only a few breathing sounds and took it upon himself to check it out.

Luke was kissing some woman, a dark headed woman, he stood still for several long seconds, trying to catch a glimpse of her face but it was impossible. He wondered if Skye knew about this other woman, if she had somehow stumbled across him with someone else. He decided that there was no way she know. She'd be even more heartbroken than she already was. Ric turned and walked back down into the main room.

"Did you find it?" Skye asked, looking up from her seat at the bar.

"Yeah." he said, stepping behind the bar to fix his drink. "Can I get you anything Miss?" he asked politely.

"Oh, you want to play bartender?" she laughed.

"Indulge me."

"I'll have a club soda."

As Ric and Skye were laughing at the bar, Luke walked through the room. "Lansing what are you doing here?" he asked. "Did I do something wrong? Violate some stupid code or something?"

"No, Luke, surprisingly enough you haven't done anything wrong." Ric answered. "Not yet anyway."

"How long have the two of you been here?" Luke asked Skye.

"About fifteen minutes.' she answered. "Why is there a problem?"

"No." Luke replied. "Just wondering."

"Luke?" Alexis called down the hallway, unaware that anyone else was on the boat. "Luke?" she called again. As she rounded the corner and stepped into the main room she was taken aback by Skye and Ric's presence. "Hi." she said nervously. "What are the two of you doing here...together?"

Ric felt his heart sink and his blood boil at the exact same time when he added two and two and came to the conclusion that Luke and the dark haired woman he was kissing was Alexis. "We had lunch at the Cellar." Ric told her. "Skye wanted to stop by to talk to Luke about something."

"Oh." Alexis breathed. "The two of you had lunch?"

"Yes." Skye responded "That's right."

"That's...nice." Alexis said, a little too high pitched. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, noticing the strange look on Ric's face.

He gave a quick smile. "No, everything's fine, but there are some things I need to take care of. I'll see you later." he told her, walking away. He turned back around at the doorway. "Skye, I'll see you tonight."

Skye smiled. "Six o'clock."

"Tonight?" Luke asked. "Are you having dinner with Lansing too? What are you dating him now?"

"Am I dating him?" Skye asked, laughter filling her voice. "Oh, I don't hardly think so."

"Then what's tonight?" Alexis asked.

"A dinner party at the Quartermaine's." Skye answered defensively.

Alexis pushed a few locks of hair out of her face."Why didn't you invite Luke? I mean why would you ask Ric?"

"Because Luke isn't on any of the Quartermaine's good side right now, expect maybe Tracy's." Skye told her. "He wouldn't go anyway."

"Why are the two of you talking like I'm not even in the room?" Luke asked.

Skye and Alexis both glared at him.

"Look, Skye, I know that I'm not the Quartermaine's favorite person and I'm not about to argue with big daddy Alan, so I understand." he complied. "And I take no offense, it's just that your choice of a date has be a little confused.."

"Me too." Alexis added.

"It's not a date." Skye insisted. "It's dinner, but if you're so insecure about your relationship or non relationship with Ric then forget it, I'll ask someone else."

"I'm not insecure." Alexis snapped. "And I'm not in a relationship with Ric."

"Then why are you taking such offense?" she asked her. "You act like I'm trying to steal your husband away from you."

"Okay!" Luke yelled. "That's enough. There's no reason to argue."

"Ric and I are just...friends." Skye told them. "I'm not trying to date him."

"I never insinuated that you were anything more." Alexis countered.

"Why do you have to be so uptight?" she asked her.

The events of what happened in Luke's office and in her apartment flooded her mind. "I'm sorry." Alexis whispered. "I have to get going."

Everything fell silent as Alexis left the room.

"Don't you have a comment?" Skye asked Luke several seconds later.

"About what?" he asked, walking over to the bar. "About Ric?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

Luke grabbed a glass and the bottle of scotch. "It's not up to me to tell you what to do. So go be with your family." he told her, leaning across the bar. "I know you love the Quartermaine's."

Skye leaned in towards him and brushed her lips against his. "Thank you."

* * *

It was twenty minutes til six when Reginald opened the front door of the Quartermaine Mansion. "Good evening, Mr. Lansing." he replied, opening the door farther. 

"Evening." Ric said with a smile. "I'm afraid I'm a little early."

"That's quite alright, come in." Reginald took his coat. "Can I get you a drink?"

"No, I'm fine, but if you point me in the direction of one Miss Skye Quartermaine, I'd be much obliged."

"She's out on the terrace, right through the livingroom doors." Reginald pointed out.

"Thank you."

Ric walked through the livingroom and out onto the terrace. There she stood, a vision in red. Skye was admiring one of Lila's roses, the petals were flawless as she touched the delicate flower. The moonlight bathed her ivory skin and radiated off her auburn locks and her scarlet dress melted against her curvaceous physique.

"You know it should be illegal for you to stand in the moonlight like that."

Skye looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "Lines like that could really get you in trouble."

"Maybe I like trouble." he said, stepping closer and closer to her.

"Most men do." she said, lifting her head upward to meet his gaze.

"I hope you didn't take offense to my observation."

"Don't worry, I didn't." she assured him. "I never turn down a compliment."

"I'm sure you don't."

"Well, would you look at this!" Tracy yelled from the doorway. "Standing outside on the terrace flirting with the man who sent you to prison. Come on Skye, I know you're a little slow when it comes to these things, but do you think you could wake up and smell the roses before the frost hits?" she asked.

Skye let out a sigh. "Aunt Tracy, I didn't hear your broom pull up."

"Listen, young lady, I didn't come out here to be insulted by you." Tracy began. "And furthermore don't you think that your date is in poor taste. Somebody's got to look out for the reputation of this family and keep everyone in line."

She nodded. "You're exactly right, Tracy. By the way, where is Dillon?" she asked. "Oh, that's right he's living on the Haunted Star. Don't worry I'll be sure to tell him tonight that Momma sends her love."

"You do that." Tracy huffed before walking away.

"Sorry about that." Skye apologized. "Tracy says the most outrageous things."

"I've learnt to ignore Tracy." Ric told her.

"You catch on fast."

Ric winked. "Oh, you have no idea."

"What's that suppose to mean?" she asked, coyly.

"You'll see."

Somehow Ric made it threw cocktails, dinner and socialization with the Quartermaine's and their acquaintances from the Country Club. He was standing on the terrace alone, admiring the view when Skye approached him.

"My family doesn't bore you do they?" she asked, snapping Ric out of his daze.

"Never." he laughed. "The Quartermaine's are...entertaining."

"Actually they were kind of tame tonight."

"You've got to be kidding, Tracy practically attacked your Stepmother at the dinner table."

"That's how they show their affection." Skye told him. "I'm terrible sorry that I made you come here tonight."

"I didn't mind it." he assured her. "Really I didn't. I like spending time with you."

"Uh-oh Ric, you better watch out, we don't want anymore incidents with Alexis like we had tonight. I mean if I knew that she was going to have that big of a meltdown over it I never would have invited you." she told him. "You should have heard her after you left, she was going on and on."

Ric interrupted her. "I know, I stayed and listened for a few minutes."

"Alexis has this thing for you, rather she'll admit it in your presence or not." Skye told him softly. "She'll come around."

Ric took both of her hands in his. "Just like Luke."

"Possibly."

"You put your heart on the line for Luke, do you regret it?"

"No." she answered softly. "That doesn't mean that I won't. But some days I wanna give up on Luke, I just wanna walk away and never look back, forgetting that I ever knew him and other's I don't know what I'd do without him." Skye pulled her hands away from his, turned around and walked over to the end of the terrace.

"Does it scare you that Luke makes you feel like that?" he asked.

"No." Skye breathed. "What scares me is your touch."

Ric walked up behind her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "You know, it's perfectly natural for you to be attracted to me."

"Then why does it feel so wrong?" she asked, softly.

"Skye, if I make you feel uncomfortable, then I'll leave." he told her stepping closer to her. "I don't have any intentions of hurting you."

"I know." she whispered.

He ran his hands up and down her bare arms. "Are you cold?" he asked.

"No." she insisted. "I'm fine."

His hands lingered on her, there was something soothing about his touch. Skye leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips, as she went to pull away Ric cupped her face, capturing her bottom lip between his, then her top before releasing her from his grasp.

"I'm going to go." he told her, softly.

She nodded. "I think that would be best."

* * *

Ric had left the Quartermaine's and went straight home. He had so many things on his mind. A court case. Alexis. Kissing Skye. Luke and Alexis kissing. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the knock on his door. 

"Ric?" he heard from the opposite side. "Ric? Are you in there?"

He made his way over to the door and opened it. "Alexis, what a surprise."

"A surprise?" she questioned. "I'm not interrupting anything am I? You are alone, aren't you?"

"What makes you think that I'm not alone?" he asked.

"Well, you did have a dinner date with Skye and now you won't even open the door all the way." Alexis pointed out.. "So what's the deal, Ric, is Skye waiting for you?"

Ric sighed and glanced back inside his apartment and then back at Alexis. In those five seconds he confirmed her suspicions. "Skye is in there isn't she?" she asked.

Ric pushed the door open to show her that it was completely empty. "Skye's at Quartermaine's." he informed her. "She's there with her family."

Alexis wanted to scream. Not just because Ric had dinner with Skye and the Quartermaine's, but because the Cassadine's were Skye's family, she was Skye's family and that was creating a huge problem all the way around. "I'm sorry." Alexis sighed. "I really am. I don't know what made me jump to the conclusion that because you went to dinner with Skye it meant you were sleeping with her. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. Skye and I are just friends. Just like you and Luke." he told her, hoping to spark some sort of explanation of what he seen between the her and Luke earlier.

"Like me and Luke." Alexis repeated slowly. She couldn't help but to remember what had happened with Luke at her apartment and then again at the Haunted Star. She hoped that Ric and Skye weren't friends in the sense that she and Luke seemed to becoming.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked her, knowing that she had to be thinking about Luke.

"Nothing."

"Alexis, you don't have anything to worry about. Skye is head over heels in love with Luke at the moment and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"I know." she admitted. "It's just that I'm a little confused."

"Why don't you come in, I'll get you a cup of coffee and then we'll talk about." Ric suggested, taking her hand and leading her inside. "How's Kristina?"

"Good." Alexis smiled. "Thanks for asking."

"Have a seat." he told her. "I'll get the coffee."

A few minutes later he returned with two mugs, he handed her one as he sat down beside her. "So, what's on your mind?"

"Lot's of things." she admitted, taking a sip of her coffee. "Mainly you."

"Should I be flatter or are you trying to get rid of me."

"No!" she replied. "I'm not trying to get rid of you. That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I'm not the best at relationships and I haven't been in one in a long time. What I'm trying to say is that I really like you, I like spending time with you. I know it's not fair to ask you to give me more time because you've been very patient it's just that I'm trying to figure out..."

"Alexis." he said, interrupting her. "I understand and if you want to take things slowly then we can."

She let out a sigh of relief. "I was so afraid that you were going to give me a ultimatum or something."

"Never." he told her. "So, I know you really don't like labels, but how we define our relationship?"

"Close friends." she suggested. "I guess it really doesn't matter right now. I just wanted to make sure that we were on the same page."

He leaned forward and softly kissed her lips. "Close friends."

"About the other day when I ran out of here because you insinuated sex, I'm really sorry." she told him. "The truth is that I don't know why I came back here, I don't know what my intentions were."

"It's perfectly fine." he told her. "You don't have to explain."

Alexis smiled. "I really have to get going, I have some work to do on a case."

Ric had waited for her to say something about Luke and what he seen at the Haunted Star. Because that's what people in relationships or almost relationships did. They told the truth, they admitted their feelings. He waited and waited and she said nothing, so he decided not to say anything. Maybe it wasn't important, maybe there was nothing going on between the two of them. Maybe it was all innocent, just like the kiss he had shared with Skye.

And when she told him she had to leave, he walked her to the door, kissing her left cheek before she left, telling himself the entire time that the thing with Luke wasn't even worth mentioning and that was why she didn't say anything. But somehow it just didn't feel right and he didn't know if he could let it go.

* * *

When Skye pulled in her driveway, she noticed Ric's car sitting up ahead. At first she panicked thinking something was wrong, but as she got closer she seen him sitting in the porch swing, smiling as he swayed back and fourth enjoying the ambience. 

"Ric, what are you doing here?" she asked, approaching the porch. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"It's my lunch hour and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to talk to you about something." he told her. "It's really important."

"Nothing's wrong with my family is it?" she asked, concerned.

"No, the Quartermaine's are fine. I came here to talk to you about the other night."

She sat her shopping bags down at the door and began searching for her house key. "If this is about the kiss then consider it forgotten."

"This is about a kiss, but not between you and me."

"Ric, what are you talking about?" she asked, frustrated because she couldn't get the key to go in the lock the right way. "Dammit!" she swore.

Ric got up off the swing and took the keys out of her hand. "Here." he offered. "Let me." Once the door was opened and Skye and her shopping bags were on the other side, he thought that now might not be this best time to bring it up, but then again there may never be.

"Skye." he called getting her attention.

"Yeah." she said, not even bothering to look up as she pulled various things from a SAKS bag. It was almost if she could sense that she wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

He sat down on the couch and waited for her to finish what she was doing. Avoiding him.

"Go ahead, Ric, I'm listening."

"No you're not." he argued. "Come sit down, I want your undivided attention on this."

Finally after several seconds she complied and went to sit down beside him. "How do I know that I'm not going to like what you're about to tell me?"

"Before I tell you, you have to understand that I didn't see the whole thing and there could be a reason that I'm unaware of."

"Just get it over with, Ric."

"Okay, I'm just going to come right out and say it." he told her. "I seen Luke kissing..."

"Faith?" she interjected. "That blonde bimbo, she would do absolutely anything to..."

"Skye!" he yelled, getting her attention. "It wasn't Faith."

"Oh." she breathed. "Who was it?"

"Alexis." he said, softly. "Luke and Alexis were kissing."

TBC...

Thanks so much for the continued support. I'm half finished with the next chapter and it should be up fairly quickly, at least by Friday.

Please Review!


	8. Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Skye was silent for a few moments. "Huh." she sighed. "Well, what about it?"

"Luke and Alexis, they were....they were kissing." he repeated.

She slowly got up off the couch and walked over to the bar, pouring herself a glass of water. She took a long drink.

Ric got up and walked over to where she was. "Skye, did you just hear what I said?"

"Luke and Alexis were kissing. Big deal." she told him. "They're friends."

"Last time I checked, friends didn't kiss like that."

Skye sat down the glass of water. "That kind of kiss, huh?"

"Look." he said, turning her around to face him. "I didn't come all the way out here to upset you. I just thought that you should know." he told her. "I felt obligated."

"What you want me to say to you Ric?" she asked. "Thank you?"

"I'm sorry." he replied sarcastically. "I just thought that as your friend I should tell you. Or are we not friends?"

Skye looked at him for several long seconds. She wanted to doubt him and what he what he saw but the look on his face confirmed it. "When did you see this 'kiss' between the two of them?"

"A few days ago." he confessed. "After we had lunch at the Cellar."

"So the other night at dinner, all those things you said, they were just..."

"They were true." Ric assured her. "I meant every word of what I said."

"So, what it was your intention to charm me into bed to make yourself feel better about Alexis and Luke?"

"No, Skye, it wasn't like that." he told her honestly. "It wasn't like that at all."

"You could have told me sooner, Ric."

"If I would have told you, would you still have kissed me?" he asked.

Skye shrugged. "I don't know."

Ric placed his hands on her shoulders. "Skye, I wanted you to kiss me because you wanted to, not because Luke kissed Alexis."

"So I'm suppose to be what? Comforted?" she asked. "Even with Luke because I kissed you?"

"I don't know, that's for you to decide." he told her. "I just have one question for you. Why did you kiss me?" he asked.

"Maybe it was the moonlight." she replied, not being able to look him in the eye. "Maybe it was because you paid the utmost attention to me the entire evening."

"You kissed me because you wanted to." he told her. "It wasn't about getting back at Luke and Alexis, because you didn't know what had happened, it was about you and I being in the moment."

"In the moment?" she laughed, raising her eyes to meet his. "You're as bad as Dillon. Ric, this isn't some black and white movie. Do you really believe that 'moments' and 'love at first sight' exist?"

"I don't know, it's possible."

"I'd rather believe in fate." she told him. "I'd like to believe that sharing a kiss with you only made me realize how much I need Luke."

"No, Skye, you don't need Luke, you want him. There's a big difference."

"Want, need, it doesn't matter. Luke's it."

Ric nodded. "Today."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"That you might change your mind tomorrow and have a completely different outlook on life."

"Why don't you believe that I love Luke?" she asked. "What do I need to do to prove it to you."

"Is that what this is about? Proving to me that you love Luke?" he asked. "Because you don't need to prove anything to me, unless you're trying to convince yourself."

"I know what I feel."

"You do change your mind awful quick." he told her. "I mean it was just the other night when you were talking about walking out of Luke's life for good and now you're ready and willing to stick around?"

"Things are different now."

"Why, because Luke told you everything you wanted to hear, dancing you around the Haunted Star and charmed you right into bed?"

"What difference does it make?" she asked. "Luke makes me happy. Aren't I entitled to a little happiness?"

"Of course you are, but you've got to decide if the sacrifice is worth it." he told her. "Is Luke Spencer the man you believe he is? Is he faithful? Is he considerate of your needs? From now on when you look at him are you going to imagine him kissing Alexis?"

"I don't know." she answered honestly. "All I know is how I feel and maybe kissing Alexis didn't mean anything. We both know that sometimes emotions run high and we do things we can't explain. I'm not about to attack Luke for kissing her when I did the same thing with you."

"We shared a light kiss on the lips, a thank you kiss." he reminded her. "Their kiss was more than friendly."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me after you seen them."

"I didn't want to upset you." he replied honestly.

"Yeah?" she asked. "Too late now."

"Would it be better if you never found out?"

"Maybe. I don't know." she answered. "I can't believe this is happening."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to see Luke and ask him what's going on."

* * *

Skye walked into the Haunted Star, to find Luke sitting at the bar. "You're here early." he commented, looking up from his paperwork. He noticed the look on her face, he had seen that look before. Anger.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"You and I need to talk." she told him, throwing her purse down on the table. "It's important."

"Have a seat." he offered. "Tell me what's on your mind."

"Alexis." she said.

"Alexis?" he repeated, confused. "What does Alexis have to do with anything?"

Skye sat down on the stool beside him. "The other afternoon when I had lunch with Ric and we came back here, he saw you kissing Alexis in your office." she answered bluntly.

Luke looked down at the floor, he didn't know what to say or how to even go about explaining things. How could he tell her that he felt drawn to Alexis? He didn't even know why he did it. How was he going to explain his actions to someone else?

"Is that the problem between the two of us?" she asked. "Is it Alexis?"

"Skye, I'm not going to lie to you." he told her. "Alexis and I did kiss. More than once."

"More than once?" she asked.

"I went to her for advice on you. I was trying to prove something to her and things they got a little out of hand." he explained. "I never meant to hurt you."

"You never meant to hurt me?" she asked, offended. "How can you sit there and say that to me? After everything we've been through, after everything that I've put up with all you can say is that you didn't mean to hurt me?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry doesn't cut it Luke!" Skye yelled. "You know I've been waiting for the past year for you to open up and when you finally do it's not to me it's to Alexis. I deserve better than this Luke."

"I know you do." he agreed. "And I know that there's nothing I can say or do to fix things because if there were then I'd do it no questions asked."

"The truth is Luke, you could fix it. You really could, but I know that you can't say those words to me and that's fine. If you wanna give up on the joke we call a relationship then go ahead. I won't stop you."

"I don't want to end things with you. I would never intentionally hurt you." he told her softly. "Don't you know that? What happened with Alexis was just a whim."

Skye couldn't bare to look at him any longer, she turned her head forward eyeing the bar. Thinking somehow that if she didn't look at him it would somehow make things easier, that maybe she wouldn't shed those tears she could feel forming in her eyes. "I knew that you and Alexis had a history, but I never knew you were intimately involved."

"We were never intimately involved." he told her, thinking it would somehow comfort her.

"Is Alexis the one you want to be with?" she asked. "Because if she is then I won't stand in your way."

Luke reached over gently brushing his fingertips against her alabaster skin. "Look at me." he demanded. "Skye, you're the one I want. You're the one I've been trying to get into bed for the past year, not Alexis."

"Is that suppose to comfort me? I'm suppose to jump up and down because you wanna have sex with me?" she asked, pushing his hand away from her face. "I don't know what to do Luke. Don't you understand that? I'm so confused that I don't know up from down. One minute you're telling me your falling in love with me and the next you disappear when I need you most. Then when you do reappear you're making out with Alexis."

"What do you want me to say?" he asked. "I told you that you were the one that I wanted. I said that I was sorry. I know that things have been chaotic the last few months, but I thought that we were working on putting them back together. Just tell me what you want from me."

She felt a tear slide down her right cheek and she quickly wiped it away, hoping that he wouldn't notice. "I want you to admit that you have pent up feelings for her."

"I don't!" he yelled, knowing that it only made him sound guilty.

"You obviously do." she wept. "Or else this wouldn't be an issue."

"I can't talk to you when you're like this." he said.

Skye sniffled. "Like what?"

"All emotional." he replied. "When you've calmed down and you're ready to talk about this we will, but not until."

"Luke!" she called. "Don't leave!"

* * *

After Luke walked out of the Haunted Star and out on Skye, he went directly to the exact place he knew he shouldn't be. Alexis' office.. He didn't know what to do about anything anymore. Alexis was his friend and they could work through this. Whatever 'this' was.

"So, Ric seen the two of us kissing?" she questioned, handing him a glass of scotch.

He emptied the contents of the glass. "Oh, it gets better."

Alexis curled up in the chair across from him. "How?"

"He told Skye. We had this huge fight over the entire thing." he explained. "And she seems to think that I have all these unrequited feelings for you."

"Do you?" she asked, point blank.

"I'm not sure." he told her. "I thought you and I were always pretty good friends, despite the fact that you're a Cassadine. But these things that have been happening, they're a little uncomfortable and awkward."

"I know." she admitted. "When I seen Ric and Skye the other day the only thing I could think of is how I would feel if the situation was reversed. And I don't want to be_ that _person, the one who steals her sister's...whatever you and she are to each other."

"I don't want to hurt her either." he confessed. "She's the best thing that's happened to me in a long time, she makes me happy and I'd like to think that I make her happy too. I don't want to fight with her and I don't want to lose her."

"Have you told her any of this?"

"How could I?" Luke asked. "I walked out on her while she was crying a while ago."

"Why did you walk out on her when she probably needed you the most?"

"Because the truth hurts." he answered. "Because I'm a coward. Skye told me that once before you know, she called me a coward in the middle of the PCPD and then walked out knowing that I couldn't follow her because I had been arrested."

"You need to make things right." she told him. "We both do. Why don't you go and find Skye before she does something destructive. She's very vulnerable right now."

"And let's not forget that Ric seen our kiss, told Skye about it and is probably waiting to console her as we speak."

"Ric is a good man, he really is. He felt obligated to tell her because he doesn't want to see her hurt. I should have told Ric right after it happened and you should have told Skye."

"Why didn't you tell Ric?"

"I thought what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him." Alexis told him. "I was wrong. I kept a secret from him and knew better. How can I blame him if he never wants to speak to me again?"

"Don't worry darlin' I'll fix things." Luke said, softly. "For the both of us."

* * *

Skye was sitting in the corner booth all alone. She didn't know how long she had been crying and at the moment she really didn't care. Footsteps sounded in the distance. She knew they weren't Luke's because she was at a moment of weakness and there was no way he was going to waltz back in and make everything okay again. And she prayed that it wasn't Faith, ready to make a play on her vulnerability.

He could hear the sobbing from down the hall and when he reached the main room he spotted Skye crying, her hands covering her face.

"Skye?" he said softly approaching her. "What's wrong?"

His words brought a brief smile to her face. He didn't ask if anything was wrong because he knew there was, he simply cut to the chase and asked what.

"Oh, Dillon." she sighed. "It's complicated."

"Come one." he said softly, wrapping his arm around her. "You can tell me anything. It'll stay just between the two of us. I promise. I already know that it's about Luke."

Skye wiped a few fallen tears and turned her attention toward Dillon. "Ric caught Luke and Alexis together."

"Luke slept with Alexis?" he asked.

"No, it never quite got that far."

"So you talked to Luke about this?" Dillon asked.

"Yeah." Skye sniffled. "He confessed to entire thing and more. I knew that there was something amiss I just didn't know what. And now I do. Luke has these unresolved feelings for Alexis."

He wiped a fallen tear from her cheek. "Did he say that?"

"He didn't have to it was written all over his face, Dillon." she told him. "I think he's confused, he doesn't know what he wants."

"Well I'd say give him some time, but he's had over a year now."

"Don't remind me."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about. Luke thinks your great." he assured her.

"You know Dillon, Georgie's one lucky girl." she told him. "I hope she realizes what a rare find you are."

"I'm the lucky one."

"Dillon you have to hang on to these moments because they're few and far between. Just make sure that you don't take her for granted." she told him. "And I don't mean rushing out and having sex or running wild. I mean taking walks through the park in Autumn or sharing a milkshake at Kelly's."

"I try." he told her. "I'm a little old fashioned, I guess it's from watching one too many old movies."

"I've seen the way she looks at you, like you're the only guy in the world. Just don't let her forget that she's the only girl in your world."

"Besides you." he said. "You've shown more interest in me than any other of the Quartermaine's since I came to town. I always help you out any way I can."

"Thank you, Dillon." she said softly. "You truly are one of a kind. And I hope you know that goes double. If there is ever anything that you need or for that matter I want you can come to me. You can always come to, for anything. I'll never judge you or your decisions."

"Thanks." he smiled. "And don't worry, everything will work out with Luke."

* * *

Luke was standing on the pier when Ric arrived. "What took you so long?" he asked.

"I'm the district attorney. I have a job, an obligation to the people of this town."

"Blah, blah, blah." Luke sighed. "I could really care less about your position as District Attorney of Port Chuckles."

"Since you don't need my professional services I'm guessing you called me out here to discuss a person matter?"

"Right you are." he assured him.

Ric shoved his hands in his pockets. "And what personal matter might that be Luke?"

"Alexis."

"Alexis?" he questioned. "You must have talked to your girlfriend. Or is she not your girlfriend anymore?"

"Before we discuss Skye, we're going to discuss Alexis." Luke told him. "Alexis is my friend. I would do anything in the world for her and not ask questions. That what friends do for one another. So, about what you saw the other afternoon..."

"You mean you and Alexis kissing in your office?" Ric interjected.

"Yes." he answered. "Things got a little out of hand and Alexis and I ended up kissing. It wasn't a big deal then and it shouldn't be now. The kiss was purely out of friendship and nothing more. I'm telling you this because I value Alexis' friendship and I'd hate to lose it because of something that was just a impulse. I know how you feel about her. I don't want to jeopardize anything I have with Skye or anything you and Alexis have over a misunderstanding."

"I understand that." Ric told him. "What I don't understand is why you couldn't tell Skye or why Alexis couldn't tell me about all of this after it happened. Why couldn't you just come right out and admit it?"

"Maybe it wasn't worth mentioning."

"Did you think it was worthy of a mention or didn't you want Skye to find out?" he asked. "You know the truth always comes out eventually."

"How do you that I wasn't going to discuss this with Skye? Why did you automatically jump to the conclusion that she was never going to find out?"

"Because that's just the way you are Luke. You come first and to hell with everybody else. You don't take time to consider other people's feelings. Not your children's, not Skye's or Alexis' for that matter." Ric told him.

"I'm capable of handling my own life!" Luke yelled. "I don't need you to point things out to me. And I don't need you hanging around Skye."

"You don't have anything to worry about where she's concerned." he shouted. "Skye loves you and only you."

Luke was silent.

"Don't you see the way she looks at you?" he asked. "Men would kill for her to look at them like that. Out of everyone in the world you have her heart, but you don't even know it. If you have any intentions of breaking her heart and handing it back to her in tiny little piece you should do it now. Because now she might be able to get over it quicker and still have some of her dignity left. If you wait and her feelings only grow deeper you're just going to be another Jax."

"I never had any intention to hurt her." Luke confessed.

"I guess it's a little late for that now." he replied. "Did you ever think that you were hurting Alexis too? That you were leading her on to something you had no intentions of following through on? I care about Alexis and I don't want to see her hurting the way Skye already is."

"Why didn't you ask Alexis about what happened between the two of us?"

"Because I thought she was going to tell me herself." Ric told him. "I waited for her to say something and she never did."

"What does that tell you about the way Alexis feels about you?"

"I don't know." he breathed. "But I'm gonna find out. As soon as she's ready to talk to me about it I'll listen. I don't want to lose what little relationship we have left."

"Do you think that makes you such a great man?" Luke asked.

"Almost anything makes me a better man than you, Luke. At least I'm not stringing Alexis along because she's convenient to have around." Ric told him, bitterly. "And I won't walk out on her when she needs me the most. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get back to the station."

* * *

"I think you and I need to talk." Alexis told Ric as she entered his office, closing the door behind him. "I already know that you know."

"What are you referring to?" Ric asked, wanting to hear her say the words and explain the situation to him so that it made since.

"The kissing Luke." she answered. "Things got crazy the other day and it just happened. I don't know why I did it, but I am sorry."

"I know." he said softly. "I just don't understand why you couldn't be honest with me when it happened. It's not like you have to answer to me. You could've just been honest."

"I was afraid."

Ric got up from behind his desk and walked over to where she was standing. "Afraid of what?"

"That you'd hate me." she confessed. "That you'd never want to see me again. I just thought that by not saying anything it wouldn't cause any tension between you and me or hurt Skye."

"That's very noble of you." Ric replied. "And I could never hate you."

"No." she breathed out. "It's not noble. I kept a secret and that's never good, it almost always causes problems and sometimes even destroys lives."

"It's noble that you didn't want to hurt Skye's feelings. Six months ago you wouldn't have cared one way or another what happened to her."

"Things change." she whispered. Her mind traveled back to the place where she knew Skye was her sister and to the guilt she had tried to push away in keeping the secret that could very well destroy them both.

"Alexis." he said, snapping her out of her daze. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." she nodded. "Can we get past this?"

"I think so." he told her. "I wanted to talk to you about something though."

Alexis smiled, feeling that she had a second chance. That they had a second chance and that this relationship was somehow going to work out. "Anything."

"I kissed Skye."

"What?" she yelled.

"When we had dinner at the Quartermaine's. It just happened." Ric confessed. "It wasn't a passionate kiss."

"What kind of kiss was it then?"

"A few soft kisses on the lips." he told her."Friendly."

"Why?"

"I told you, it just happened."

"So you kissed her to get back at me for kissing Luke?" she asked, outraged.

"No." he answered. "Look, we were out on the terrace, she had kinda been stressed out about Luke. She didn't even know that the two of you had kissed. We were talking and she kissed me."

"So Skye kissed you?" she asked.

"And I kissed her back." he told her. "We had a weak moment, that's all. It had nothing to do with you kissing Luke. It meant nothing more than friendship, you can ask her yourself."

"I can't believe this." Alexis sighed. "I didn't even see it coming."

"See what coming?" Ric asked, confused.

"That you could easily disregard my feelings like that."

"Alexis you and I are not committed in any way, you just said so yourself. If you're not accountable to me then how does that make me accountable to you?"

"I never said you were accountable to me...." she interjected.

"So what there's a double standard?"

"No!" Alexis shouted. "You know what I can't...I can't do this right now. I have to go." She stormed out of his office and slammed the door shut behind her. Making it only a few feet down the hallway, she stopped dead in her tracks and took a deep breath. She really had no reason to be upset when she had done the exact same thing. But the one thing that kept eating at her conscience was not telling Skye about her paternity.

* * *

Skye entered the lake house sometime after midnight. After switching on the lights she discovered Luke asleep on the couch. She laid her purse and coat in the chair. "Luke!" she yelled out, standing overtop of him.

"What?" he asked, still half asleep.

"Luke, wake up!" she yelled again.

Luke opened his eyes and looked up at her. "Hey Blaze."

"Don't 'Blaze' me." she warned. "How did you get in here?"

"Through the window in the kitchen." he told her, sitting up. "You should really lock all your doors and windows before you leave."

"I'll be sure to do that the next time."

He glanced up at the clock. "I can't believe I've been asleep since nine o'clock." he commented. "Where have you been?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I went out for some dinner." she told him. "And then caught a late movie."

"Oh." Luke sighed.

Skye moved some magazines out of the way and sat down on the coffee table in front of him. "I ran into Ric on the pier."

"You went out again with Ric!" he yelled. "Maybe Ric is the one causing all of our problems."

"Luke." she said softly.

Luke felt his blood begin to boil. An emotion washed over him. One that he hadn't felt in a long time. Jealousy. "Why would you go out with him again?" he asked, trying to keep his building anger in check, but knowing that he was failing miserably. "Was lunch and dinner the other night not enough?"

She didn't say anything for several long seconds, giving him time to calm down. "I didn't go out with Ric tonight."

"You didn't?" he asked, feeling somewhat relieve but knowing that he had no right to be mad after what had happened with Alexis.

"No." she said, softly. "Dillon and I got some dinner and went to the movies."

"You were with Dillon?"

"Is that a crime?" she asked. "Can I not spend some time with my own cousin?"

"Of course you can spend time with Dillon." he answered. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."

"It's alright." Skye assured him. "So I've calmed down can we talk about this Alexis ordeal?"

"I don't know what happened, I don't know why I did what I did." Luke confessed. "But I do know that I'm really, really sorry. I never meant to hurt you or what we have going on."

"I know." she replied. "After you left I talked to Dillon and he helped me sort some things out. I came to the conclusion that maybe I overreacted a little. I just thought that we were close enough that you could tell me things."

"I should have told you." he agreed. "I'm sorry."

"The other night at the Quartermaine's I kissed Ric." she blurted out.

* * *

Ric opened his apartment door and to his surprise found Alexis standing on the other side. After she ran out of his office today after he made his confession he thought that he had truly lost her for good. "Alexis, what are you doing here?" he asked, not being able to help the smile that came across his lips.

"I felt really bad about the way I left things." she said, clutching her coat tightly against her. "I couldn't leave things the way they were." she told him, honestly.

"We both made mistakes." he admitted.

Alexis' hands slowly opened her coat. "That's why I'm here. To put all the piece's back where they belong." she whispered, opening the coat to revealing a very short, very low cut piece of charcoal colored silk. "It's kind of cold out here. Mind if I come in?"

TBC....

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	9. Determination

Determination

Ric opened his apartment door and to his surprise found Alexis standing on the other side. After she ran out of his office today after he made his confession he thought that he had truly lost her for good. "Alexis, what are you doing here?" he asked, not being able to help the smile that came across his lips.

"I felt really bad about the way I left things." she said, clutching her coat tightly against her. "I couldn't leave things the way they were." she told him, honestly.

"We both made mistakes." he admitted.

Alexis' hands slowly opened her coat. "That's why I'm here. To put all the piece's back where they belong." she whispered, opening the coat to revealing a very short, very low cut piece of charcoal colored silk. "It's kind of cold out here. Mind if I come in?"

Ric's jaw dropped. He was completely speechless. All previous thoughts had vanished from his mind and was now flooded with the image of a half dressed Alexis standing not two feet in front of him.

Alexis pushed her way past him and into his apartment. "So tell me, Ric, where's the bedroom?"

Ric shut his apartment door and walked over toward her. He swallowed hard. "It's just down the hall." he told her, his voice higher pitched than normal.

She slipped the coat off her shoulders and then let it fall lower, slipping to the ground in a whisper, leaving her in only the charcoal colored nightie and a pair of dangerous high heels. Alexis took Ric's hand and pulled him closer to her. "Let's not waste any time." she whispered, leaning in toward him.

He thought she was going to kiss him but then she backed away and started walking down the hallway. Ric watched as she sashayed down the hallway and into his bedroom. Carefully he put one foot in front of the other and started walking, he felt as if he would never get to his destination.

The telephone rang in the distance.

Ric bolted up off the couch, the ringing in the distance didn't stop. He reached over and picked the telephone up off the cocktail table. "Lansing."

"It's Mac, we need you at the station."

"I'll be there shortly." Ric said, ending the call. "A dream." he sighed. "It was all a dream."

xxxxx

"The other night at the Quartermaine's I kissed Ric." she blurted out.

Skye waited for Luke to say something, to do something. Yell, scream, throw things, but he just sat there silently. She knew that silence could sometimes be worse than words or actions.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he finally asked. "Why didn't you tell me when you were accusing me or having feelings for Alexis?"

"I was going to." she answered. "But you walked out on me before I got the chance. I was going to tell you because I thought that you deserved to know. It was just a kiss on the lips."

"You didn't even see me kiss Alexis, but Ric did, how am I suppose to believe that it was just a kiss on the lips?" he asked. "Because you said so? Because Ric said so?"

"I know that you're mad."

"You're damn right I'm mad!" he yelled. "You had a fit over some innocent kisses with Alexis but when you kiss Ric I'm just suppose to except it? I don't get to be angry or upset considering it was just a kiss on the lips."

"Of course..."

"Don't tell me how I'm suppose to feel!" he yelled again. "Did you ever stop to think that I didn't want anyone else kissing you?"

"Since when does it matter what you want?" she said, just as loud. "And why the hell do you think you have a say in anything I do?"

"Because...because I do!"

"I don't want to talk to you." she told him. "I don't even want to look at you."

"I'm not leaving this house until we've straightened this out." he informed her.

Skye let out a frustrated sigh and stormed off toward the bedroom. Luke who was just as pissed off was only a few steps behind her and when she tried to shut the door he flung it back open.

"Stop following me!" she shouted.

"Stop running away from me!" he shouted back. "We're not through talking."

"The hell we're not!"

Luke grabbed Skye by the arms, spun her around and threw her down on the bed before proceeding to climb overtop of her. She gripped the sides of his collar and pulled him down against her, savagely invading his mouth with her tongue. Their mouths dueled forcefully, desperately trying to gain control of the kiss.

She slid her hands from his collar down to his shirt, ripping it open.. Luke's hands grasped her wrists and pinned them above her head as he pulled his lips away from hers and hungrily kissed down her neck, manipulating her with his lips and tongue.

He let her wrists go as he moved further and further downward, kissing the exposed area of her chest. Skye's hands threaded in his hair encouraging his movements, but he stopped and moved back up to her swollen lips. Her mouth once again went to capture his, but Luke suddenly pulled away, leaving Skye confused.

"Why did you stop?" she asked, breathless.

He looked down into her whiskey colored eyes. "I'm sorry." he whispered. "I can't do this, not like this." Luke told her, moving off the bed

Skye sat up on the edge of the bed. "Why not?"

"Things will never be the same."

"You don't know that." she challenged. "It could make things better."

"It won't." he said firmly.

She took a deep breath, she really didn't want to ask this question, but she had no other choice. "Is this about Alexis?"

"No. It's not about Alexis." Luke sighed. And really it wasn't, it was the flashing signal in the back of his head that got brighter and brighter every time he and Skye were alone together. The image of Helena danced in front of him, taunting him.

"Then prove it to me."

"This shouldn't be about proving anything." he told her. "Especially not anything involving Alexis."

"Not even proving to me that I matter? That you care?"

Luke walked over to the side of the bed, he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. "You know that I care about you."

"Do you?" she asked. "Because sometimes I really don't know how you feel about me or anything else."

"I'm sorry." he whispered. "Things are just getting really complicated right now."

Skye took a deep breath. She knew what she had to do, she had to let him go. He was always going to be firmly planted in the past and no matter how hard she tried, no matter how many times she told him how she felt about him it wouldn't be enough. It would never be enough.

"You're right Luke." she agreed. "Your obviously not ready to move on, not now at least. Maybe never. "

"I thought that I could, Skye. I really did try." he said, sincerely. "I thought that since you and I were somewhat alike that it could work. I've strung you along for so long and I'm sorry."

"I know you tried." she whispered. "I tried too. It just wasn't enough. It's better this way, we can go our separate ways and we don't have to be bitter about anything. You've been honest with me since the beginning and that counts for more than you'll ever know."

Skye looked at him for several long moments. "Goodbye Luke."

"Oh, Blaze, don't say goodbye, it sounds so...permanent."

"It'll be better this way." she assured him. "I just want you to know that I never felt threatened by Laura because I respected your bond with her way too much. Maybe you don't want to move on. Maybe you can't. Maybe there's no room left in your heart to love someone else and I understand that. So I'm going to bow out gracefully and leave you to chase your next thrill where ever that may lead you."

"Skye." he started. "I know that I haven't been fair to you and I am sorry. But I'm not sorry for the time we spent together." Luke leaned in and kissed her cheek and for a moment Skye held her breath wondering if she was doing the right thing. Wondering if she could live without Luke in her life.

"I'll stop by the Haunted Star and sign the papers to dissolve our partnership." she told him as he pulled away.

Luke turned and walked out of her bedroom. Skye had made up her mind and there was no changing it. He wanted to stay. He wanted to tell her all the things that he was holding back, but he couldn't, because deep down, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he knew that Skye was a Cassadine and that made him suppress his feelings for her even more. So he did the only thing he could, he left.

xxxxx

Alexis watched from the park bench as Kristina played with a couple of her friends only a few feet away. Kristina was her whole world, but she couldn't help but feel that something or someone was missing.

"Alexis."

She tore her eyes away from Kristina and looked up to see Ric. "Ric, what are you doing here?"

He sat down on the bench beside her. "I was just walking by when I spotted you. I thought that you and I could talk things over."

"There's nothing to talk about." she insisted, shifting her attention back over to Kristina.

"Come on Alexis." he sighed. "I didn't act like this when I saw you all over Luke."

"All over Luke?" she half yelled. "When exactly was I all over Luke?"

"In his office at the Haunted Star."

Alexis relaxed against the park bench. "Luke and I were caught in the moment, Ric."

"How am I suppose to accept that?" Ric asked. "Skye and I were in a moment too, Alexis, why can't you accept that?"

"I don't know." she shrugged. "I just can't."

Ric sighed in defeat. "It's not that you can't it's that you won't." he got up off the bench and walked away.

Alexis wanted to call after him. She wanted to stop him, but she couldn't. She was more afraid of getting hurt than actually taking the risk.

xxxxx

Helena Cassadine peered around the corner of the nurse's station at General Hospital, her eyes settled on the redhead in the waiting area. She glanced down at the test results in her hand and then back at Skye Quartermaine. Funny, she didn't resemble a Cassadine in any way. Helena didn't want to believe it, she fought the facts in her head for several long seconds until she remembered one very important thing about Skye Quartermaine: Luke Spencer.

Skye was sitting patiently waiting on Alan to finish his rounds so that they could have lunch. Alexis stepped off the elevator and was headed toward the nurse's station until she spotted Skye.

"Skye." she said, approaching her.

"Alexis, is there something wrong?" she asked.

"No." she assured her, sitting down beside her. "I just wanted to talk to you."

Skye gave her a heartfelt smile. "About Luke?"

"Yeah." Alexis breathed.

"Things with Luke, they just didn't work out." she explained. "When he was willing to try I wasn't and when I was willing to try he wasn't. Sometimes things don't work out the way you thought they would."

"But I've seen the way Luke looks at you. I've seen the way you look at him." she told her. "The two of you are good together, please don't throw it all away because of something I did."

"It wasn't just you Alexis." she said softly. "It was all the things, both little and big and lead to the practical decision to end things."

"Relationships aren't based on practicality."

"They should be." she said, softly. "I'm glad we ran into each other. I wanted to apologize for what happened with Ric."

"It's okay." Alexis assured her. "Really it is. Ric just wasn't the kind of guy I thought he was."

"Why not?"

Helena continued to watch the conversation between Skye and Alexis, she only wished she could hear what they were saying. She was positive that Luke didn't know that Skye was a Cassadine, because if he did, he would have ran the other way and the fact that Luke's ladylove was keeping this huge secret would blow them right out of the water, but not until she got exactly what she wanted first. This time Helena had the scheme to end all schemes.

Alexis sighed. "I thought that he was different and that he considered my feelings. I was wrong."

"Look, I'm the one that kissed Ric." Skye confessed.

"But he kissed you back."

Skye nodded. "And that make it both our faults, not just Ric's."

"You know what it doesn't matter now."

"That's a nice set of double standards you've got, Alexis." she replied. "You can do anything that you like but when Ric does the exact same thing it's the end of the world."

Alexis was silent.

"You're just a garden variety hypocrite." Skye said, bitterly.

"And you're just self centered." Alexis snapped. "I guess some things never change."

xxxxx

Luke was sitting at Kelly's, sulking over a cup of coffee, reading the newspaper when Alexis walked inside. "Looking in the personals?" she asked, sitting down in front of him.

He lowered the newspaper. "Why would I be looking in the personals?"

"I don't know, I just ran into Skye at General Hospital and she informed me that the two of you are no longer together."

"Some things aren't meant to last." he replied. "I take it your conversation with Skye didn't go over very well."

"You know I thought Skye had changed, but I was wrong, she hasn't. She's still the same manipulative, self absorbed Skye who only thinks of herself. You know the two of you should get along really well considering that you're exactly alike."

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" he asked. "After all it was as much as my fault, if not more than it was hers."

"Why are you still taking up for her?"

"Why are you having such a problem with her?" he shot back. "The only reason you're mad is because of what happened with Ric."

She folded her arms over her chest. "Ric has nothing to with it."

"While you're on the warpath, Natasha, let me remind you that when Skye finds out that she's a Cassadine and she will, you're the first person she's going to come after because you've known the truth all along and you didn't tell her."

"Then she'll be just as mad at you as she will at me because you've known almost as long as I have."

"It's not my secret to tell Alexis, it's yours." he told her. "She'll understand why I didn't say anything."

"Maybe." she replied. "And then again she might just blame everyone. Because we all know what this is about."

"Really?" Luke asked. "What's that?"

"It's about Skye being a Cassadine and you not being able to handle it."

"I don't want to talk about Skye." he told her. "So is it safe to assume that things are over between you and Ric?"

"Very safe." Alexis assured him.

"Where are you gonna go from here?"

"I'm not." she told him. "I'm going concentrate on work and on my daughter."

"What do you say we get together a little later." Luke suggested.

"Get together?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "What did you have in mind?"

"You could meet me on the pier and we could take it from there."

"I don't know, Luke, I don't think that's such a good idea."

He got up and tossed some cash onto the table. "If you change your mind, come by the Elm Street Pier at midnight."

xxxxx

The door to the lake house opened and Helena quietly made her way inside, shutting the door behind her.

"I've found a way to use you after all, Skye." Helena laughed as she made her way down the hall and into Skye's bedroom. She made a beeline for the master bathroom and into the medicine cabinet searching until she found exactly what she was looking for. Helena opened the packet of birth control pills, counted them and dumped them into the sink. She opened her purse and removed the bottle of placebo and then carefully replaced each and every one and placed them back into the medicine cabinet.

Helena washed the birth control pills down the drain. "My darling, Luke, you shall sire a Cassadine-Spencer brat without even knowing it."

xxxxx

"Where have you been hiding for the past few weeks?" Skye asked Ric as he sat down beside her in the Quartermaine den.

"I've been throwing myself into my work."

"Trying to avoid Alexis?" she asked.

He smiled. "You know me so well."

"Have you tried to work things out?"

"Yeah.' he sighed. "But Alexis seems to have double standards."

"So I noticed." she said, glancing out the terrace doors and then back at Ric. "But she does like you."

"That last part's debatable." he argued. "I was hoping that Alexis would come around and that we could move forward, but she doesn't want to and I can't force her. So what about Luke?" he asked. "How are things going between the two of you?"

"Luke and I are over." she said, regret filling her voice. "I always knew that Luke liked dangling on the edge of the cliff of life but last night when we were at the lake house I realized that what everyone, including myself, said in the beginning was true. Luke is the ultimate overgrown bad boy. It's no one's fault but my own."

Ric covered her hand with his. "You know that I'm here for you if you need anything. I may have lost Alexis but you and Luke were involved for a long time. If you want to talk about it, I'm more than willing to listen."

Skye eyes began to fill with tears and the last thing she wanted to do right now was cry, especially in front of Ric. He reached out to her intending to console her, but she flinched away from him. She was incredibly vulnerable right now. "Please don't." she softly requested, turning her head away from him.

"Don't what?" he questioned. "I'm not Luke, I would never hurt you."

"I just don't want to make things any worse than they are."

"Things couldn't get an worse than they are." he pointed out. "Besides what's the big deal about being comforted by a friend?" Ric asked, stroking her hair. "I know you're hurting, even if you won't look at me. I can help you. Let me help you lessen the pain."

Skye lifted her eyes to meet his. "I don't wanna lessen the pain, Ric." she told him. "I just want to forget. I want to forget about Luke and about Alexis and about the tragedy that is my life."

"So, what do you want to do about it?"

"What I'd really like is a drink." she confessed. "But I know that would only make my problems worse after I sobered up."

"Let me comfort you." he offered.

"Ric." Skye breathed. "You're upset about what happened with Alexis."

"And you're upset about what happened with Luke." he told her. "We can get through this together." he said, moving closer to her. "I'm making you an offer to let it all out."

"And I'm so tempted to take it." she confessed. "But when it's all over and we're laying in bed I don't want to regret it. I've done this many times. When I wake up I won't remember the pain right away, but when I open my eyes and see you, I'm gonna wish it was Luke and then all the heartache is going to flood back into my mind along with the fact that you and I only had sex for comfort."

"Don't look at it like that." he told her. "Look at it as a new beginning. That maybe things didn't work out with Alexis and Luke so that you and I would have a shot."

Skye seemed dazed by his words. At the moment in time she wanted to believe in something, in anything and she latched on to the first sign of positivity.

"What do you say?" he asked.

"Erase the pain." she said softly. "Even if it's only for a few hours."

Ric leaned in and kissed her lips. "Are we alone?"

"Yes." she breathed out before covering his mouth with hers. Skye's lips parted and Ric deepened their kiss, caressing his tongue against hers.

xxxxx

Alexis breezed into the Haunted Star. "Ah, you're just the man I was looking for."

Luke looked up from the bar. "If I'm the man you're looking for then why have you been avoiding me for the past few weeks?"

"I haven't been avoiding you." she said as she took a seat at the bar. "I've just been busy and I was trying to sort things out."

"What things would that be?" he asks, leaning over the bar toward her.

"Personal things."

"Is that as good as you can do?" he teased. "Really, Alexis I expected more than that."

"Luke, you know that I love you, but we made mistake." she told him. "And now it's too late to take it back and the consequences are monumental."

TBC…maybe?

Sorry for the delay in updating, I was having major computer problems, but I think they're solved, at least for now.

Please, please review if you're still reading! Thanks! And remember things aren't always as they seem.


	10. Forge

Forge

Helena Cassadine smiled to herself. She was in the position of power. She was in the position of a lifetime. And she held life and death in the palm of her elegant hand. This time she would strike Luke Spencer exactly where it hurt the most and she was going to make damn sure that he never recovered.

So her darling Mikkos had sired another bastard child. At the moment she didn't mind her husbands unfaithfulness because he gave her the power to destroy her oldest and dearest enemy. In the end it would be worth it. Helena's dark eyes slid over Skye's medical file, taking in ever bit of information about the accident she had when she was in her early twenties. The accident that left her unable to carry a child to term and would be lethal if she tried.

She was about to hit so many different birds with one stone. Luke would go insane at thought of a Spencer-Cassadine spawn. Skye would die trying to carry the child, relieving her of the humiliation of another extra martial affair Mikkos had. And by chance that the child lived he or possibly she would become the Cassadine Heir that Nikolas should have been. Then there was Alexis, she would lose another sister and seeing Alexis in pain always brought her so much pleasure.

This time Helena was sure that she had worked out a foolproof plan that no one would ever be able to trip up. This time she would succeed. The images of Skye in agonizing pain and Luke in a much deserved distress evoked a wicked laugh from deep within her. Her plan was already in motion all she had to do was sit back and wait for Luke and Skye to conceive Skye's much wanted child and Luke's much unwanted nightmare.

"Mrs. Cassadine?" a voice called, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Yes?" she asked as she looked up.

"A Miss Quartermaine is here to see you."

Helena rose to her feet. "Send her in."

The young man left the room and summoned the other lady.

"Where the hell have you been hiding?" Tracy asked her as she entered the room.

"I've been expecting you." Helena told her. "I have a project that I need some assistance on."

"What would that be?" she asked. "Please tell me it has nothing to do with Emily."

"Oh, I assure you, little Emily is the farthest thing from my mind." she assured her. "This has to do with your other niece."

"My other niece?" Tracy questioned. "Oh, you mean Skye."

"Yes, Skye."

"What about her?"

"Skye's a Cassadine."

"Well that explains a whole hell of a lot." Tracy breathed out once the shock had subsided. "That and the fact that Luke Spencer is going to have a heart attack. So I'm assuming you have some master plan to use Skye to destroy Luke?"

"You catch on very quickly."

"So what's the plan?" she asked. "Are you going to cast a spell on them too?"

Helena laughed. "Of course not." she said seriously. "Luke and Skye are going to destroy each other on there own. All they needed was a little push, which I've already given them and now the rest is up to them."

"Why don't you start from the beginning." Tracy told her. "I think you have a lot more explaining to do."

------

Skye and Ric stumbled through her bedroom kicking the door shut behind them. They were completely wrapped up in each other as they made their way through the dark room. How they made it from the sofa in the den to upstairs and down the hall they would never know. Their kisses were passionate and lustful and entirely too rushed.

"It's too dark in here." Ric mumbled against her mouth. "Where's the bed?"

"I know where I'm going in the dark." she assured him as she broke away long enough for him to remove her top.

His lips sought out hers once again, tangling his mouth together with hers. Skye's hands worked masterfully on the front of his shirt, undoing the buttons in breakneck speed and then pushing the fabric from his shoulders. He trailed several wet, open mouth kisses down her neck and at the moment Luke Spencer became the farthest thing from her mind.

"Please tell me that the Quartermaine's aren't going to come busting through here?" he murmured against her skin.

"They're not." she breathed out as she backed them closer and closer toward the bed. Before she could warn him Ric stumbled backward onto the bed taking her with him.

"Found the bed." he laughed.

There was nothing romantic about it.

There was no candlelight.

There was no moonlight.

There was no music playing softly in the background.

There were no promises of forever and always.

Together they were seeking comfort in the arms of a friend. Comfort and understanding in someone they had learnt to trust. Their night together was a one time deal, something that they would look back on with no regrets. Because sometimes forgetting the pain even for a brief second was worth it no matter what the cost.

They ended up somewhere between loving making and sex. Nothing too soft, yet nothing too hard. Nothing too meaningful yet nothing too meaningless. Whispers in the dark were those of comfort, not those of sweet nothings. And at the height of their ecstasy there were no declarations of love only the sounds of pure physical pleasure.

And when it was all over they both agreed that they didn't make a mistake and that it wouldn't change their friendship. A friendship that had slowly evolved and one they both wanted to keep. As they lay sated without the thoughts of Alexis or Luke bouncing through their minds they had no idea how much this night would cost them in the long run.

------

"What do you mean we've made a mistake?" Luke asked Alexis.

"I mean we let the people we care most about walk out of our lives without a fight." she told him. "We let them walk away believing that they were completely in disposable to us, like our time with them didn't mean anything at all."

"I take it you're having second thoughts about ruining things with Lansing before they ever got started?"

"I really like Ric." she admitted. "He makes feel things that I haven't felt in a very long time. He makes me feel alive and like I'm the only woman in the world and I'm afraid that I've ruined it. I'm afraid that I could beg him to give me another chance, a real chance, and he would turn me down flat. Not that he wouldn't have every right after the way I acted. I was petty and childish and it would serve me right if I ruined any possibility of a serious relationship with a wonderful, caring man."

"You haven't lost him forever." Luke told her. "Not yet anyway."

Alexis shrugged. "Maybe I have."

"Lansing's not my favorite person." he admitted. "But you've got this thing for him that I can't deny. It's more than like and lust. Dare I say it? Could it be love?" he mocked. "Could you being falling in love with the District Attorney?"

"Possibly." she breathed out. "At least I'm not afraid to admit my feelings."

"What about you're feelings for me?" Luke asked.

Alexis smiled. "I love you." she told him. "Just not in that way."

"Are you saying that my kisses meant nothing to you?" he half joked.

She looked at him for several long minutes. "Not too many years ago I would have said yes, your kisses would have melted my heart into a puddle, but now whatever we could have had or would have had has passed." Alexis said, somewhat regretfully. "Although I can't help but imagine what it would have been like."

Luke smiled. "I guess we'll never know."

"I guess not." she agreed. "And besides look where the path has lead us."

"I can't complain." he sighed. "So what are you going to do about Lansing?" he asked, changing the subject.

"That's just it." Alexis breathed. "I don't know."

"Is this about his kiss with Skye?"

"It's not just that." she sighed. "It's the fact that I was a hypocrite when it came to Ric and his actions. I blasted him for something innocent and meaningless."

"How do you know it was meaningless and innocent?" he asked.

"Because Skye's so much in love with you, Luke, that other men are the farthest thing from her mind." Alexis said with a smile. "And I know that you hate to hear it, but she is, she's hopelessly, devotedly, head over heels in love with you and a simple kiss with Ric would never change that."

"That's the thing." Luke breathed out. "I can't love Skye the way she deserves to be loved."

"Did Skye ever say that?"

"She didn't have to."

"Luke." Alexis whispered. "If Skye thought that she'd run for the hills and never look back."

"Skye knew that it was never going to work out." he insisted. "We both knew it from the beginning."

"I know you love her." she told him. "And you're being foolish for not giving this a chance."

"What would be the point?" Luke asked. "I can't give her what she wants."

"What do you think she wants?"

"You know a white picket fence and all the things that come along with that." he told her. "I've tried that before and it didn't work out."

"Luke, when you love someone, all your dreams of how you imagined your future to be fly out the window and you start new dreams together." Alexis explained. "I know Skye well enough to know that when she loves she loves with her whole heart. You insisted on coming to see her even after I told you to stay away and now you wanna walk away from her and not look back because things have gotten a little complicated?"

"It's not that things got complicated, it's that things went into a completely different direction than I had planned."

"Nobody plans to fall in love, Luke." she sighed. "It just happens."

"I know."

"Please don't break her heart, Luke." she whispered. "She doesn't deserve it." Alexis softly kissed his cheek and got up off the barstool and left.

----

Skye made her way down the hall and was heading toward the stairs when a sharp voice from behind called out. "Skye Quartermaine don't you dare take another step."

She froze. "Yes Auntie Tracy?" she asked.

Tracy made her way over to her. "Ric Lansing's car was parked in the driveway all night and it wasn't moved until this morning." she informed her. "What do you know about it?"

"Nothing." she answered. "What am I suppose to know about it?"

"Was he with you?" Tracy asked.

"Well, Tracy, you know that I can't get a man, you said so yourself." she mocked.

"I never said you couldn't get a man." she corrected her. "I said that you couldn't keep one. There is a big difference."

"Where are you going with this?" Skye asked. "Because frankly I don't have the time to stand here and discuss my personal life with you."

Tracy looked at her for several long seconds. "Aren't you suppose to be in love with Luke Spencer?" she asked.

"What does Luke have to do with this?"

"Nothing." she answered. "I was just trying to keep all the facts straight. Let me see if I've got this, you correct me if I'm wrong. You're in love with Luke, but you're sleeping with Ric Lansing?"

"Once again, Tracy, you could not be more wrong." she said, annoyed. "The only person Ric is interested in is Alexis."

"You know, I don't blame you for forgetting about Luke, I mean he is old enough to be your father, and going after someone like Ric."

Skye rolled her eyes. "Why are we having this conversation?'

"I was just curious." she told her. "Ric is young and ambitious and even I can't deny your beauty, the two of you would make such a good couple. And I guess now that you're making a play for Ric that must mean that Alexis is with Luke?"

"Why do you assume that?" she asked.

"Because you always lose the man you love." she reminded her as she walked away. "Maybe." she added as she turned back around. "Maybe if you wouldn't fall in and out of love so easily you're relationships would be more stable."

"At least I can find a man." Skye shot back.

"There's no need to get nasty." Tracy snapped. "I was just trying to help you out."

"You get stranger and stranger with every passing day." Skye told her.

-----

Alexis knocked softly on Ric's open office door and waited for an answer. "Come in." she heard him say, although he never even bothered to look up. She closed the door behind her. "New case?" she asked.

The sound of her voice caused him to forget what he was doing. "Alexis, what are you doing here?" he asked. Suddenly he was nervous and excited at the same time.

"What, can I not come by to see you?" she asked.

"No." Ric smiled. "Please, have a seat."

Alexis sat down in the chair across from him. "Is it possible that you could spare some of your time for me?"

"I always have time for you."

"I'd like to talk things over." she told him.

"Okay." he said slowly. "Does this mean that you've decided to give us another chance?"

"Are you saying that you're willing to give me another chance after the holier than thou attitude I gave you?"

"You didn't have a holier than thou attitude." he assured her. "You were just trying to prevent yourself from getting hurt and I understand that. We all do questionable things to protect ourselves."

"I'm really sorry about going on and on about your kiss with Skye and not being able to trust you. Especially after the things that happened with Luke." she told him. "I've been so lonely these past few weeks without you and Kristina misses you too."

"I miss her." Ric told her. "I've also missed you more than I could have ever imagined."

"Ric, do you honestly think that we can make this work out?" she asked. "Because I don't want to jump into something that isn't going to work out in the long run."

He got up from his desk and walked around to sit down beside her. "Isn't that what life's about?" he asked. "Isn't it about taking risks and seeing where they lead you? Sometimes they don't always work out, but wouldn't you rather take the chance than spend the rest of your life wondering what if?"

"I wanna be with you more than anything." she whispered. "And I'm willing to take whatever risk necessary because I don't want to pass up this chance."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear you say those words."

"So we're going to be able to put the past behind us and move on?" Alexis asked. "Because I don't care about anything that happened up until now. This moment is where is everything begins."

Ric thought back to last night. The night he had spent with Skye and in his mind he debated back and fourth rather to tell her. "Alexis, there's something you should know."

Alexis noticed the serious expression across his face. "What is it?" she asked. "You can tell."

"While we were apart." he began. "And I didn't think I had a snowballs chance in hell of getting you to give me another chance, I was with someone else." he admitted. "It was just a one time thing."

She looked at him for several long seconds because even though she was a little hurt, she didn't have any right to yell because she was the one who ended things with him. "It's okay." she finally said. "I was the one who pushed you away and I didn't expect you to be waiting for me in the wings if I changed my mind or came to my senses."

"You're alright with this?"

"I can't not be alright with it." she told him. "You had no obligations to me. I may not like it but it's in the past and as long as that's where it stays it doesn't matter."

"I want to be completely honest with you." Ric told her. "I wanna do this right this time and I don't want there to be any secrets between us. Do you wanna know who…"

"No." she interjected. "It doesn't matter who she was. All that matters is that from now on you and I are going to do our best to make whatever this is between us work."

"Are you sure?"

"What's in the past should remain in the past." she replied honestly. "And if we're going to make this work then the only place we should be looking is the future."

"I couldn't agree more." he told her. "I wanted to come to you so many times, but I was afraid that you'd turn me down flat and I didn't know if I'd be able to handle the rejection."

"I'm just sorry that it took me this long to realize what I had known all along."

"What's that?" he asked.

"That I need you." she whispered.

Ric leaned forward and softly brushed his lips against hers. "You won't regret this." he whispered. "And I think this calls for celebration."

------

Luke sat back at his desk and opened a bottle of scotch. He sloppily poured some in the glass in front of him and then proceeded to down the contents. After repeating his actions several times he heard insistent knocking on his office door. "Go away." he yelled.

Bobbie jiggled the knob of the door only to find it locked. "Luke Spencer, you put your glass of liquor down and unlock this door right now!" she demanded.

"Barbara Jean, I'm not in the mood for a conversation."

"Okay." she breathed out.

"I knew you'd understand."

"Lucas either you open this door or I'm going to bust it in!" she shouted. "What's it going to be?" There were several seconds of silence and then Bobbie heard the turn of the lock. "I'm glad you seen it my way." she told him as she made her way into the office.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I'm here about Lesley." Bobbie replied. "As well as Lulu."

"Is there something wrong with Lesley?"

Bobbie sat down on the sofa beside her brother. "Lesley is getting older Luke and her health is becoming fragile and while she loves Lulu, she can't be expected to take care of her too much longer."

Luke gave her a somber expression. "I knew this day would come sooner or later and I always thought it would be later."

"Time has a funny way of running out on you before you're ready." she told him. "You have a very important decision to make."

"Barbara, I love Lulu, but I can't take care of her all by myself." he replied.

"It won't be all by yourself." Bobbie assured him. "You'll have help. There's me and Lucky and Nikolas and Skye. You won't be alone."

"I don't know if I can do this." Luke admitted. "It wasn't suppose to be like this. Laura was suppose to be here."

"I know." she said softly. "But she's not and now you have to honor her by taking care of your daughter."

"I guess I'll have to move out of here. This casino is no place for a child to grow up." he mumbled, thinking out loud. "I'll have to find a new place."

"You don't have to decide everything right now." she told him. "I just wanted you to have a little time to adjust to the situation. And you know Luke, you're getting older too and maybe this is the time you should plant your feet a little more on the ground."

"Maybe."

"Well, I have to get going."

"What's the rush?" Luke asked. "Why don't you stay and have a drink?"

"I'd love to, but I have to pick up Lulu, I'm taking her to the park and then she's going swimming at the Quartermaine's." Bobbie informed him. "I don't wanna be late."

"Swimming at the Quartermaine's?" Luke repeated. "Is that safe?"

"I'm sure everything will be fine." she assured him. "After all Skye will be there."

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

Bobbie noticed the somber expression on Luke's face. "Is there something wrong between you and Skye?"

"There is no me and Skye." he told her. "And before you start on some long tirade I'd advise you to save your breath. My not being a part of her life is really for the best."

"You keep telling yourself that." Bobbie replied as she got up off the couch.

"Tell Lulu I love her."

"I will."

-----

Alexis made her way through the grounds at the Quartermaine's and over to the pool house, she walked through the open door. "Skye?" she called out. "Skye?"

"Just a minute, Alexis." Skye answered.

Alexis sat down on the sofa and waited for what felt like an eternity. "How much longer are you going to be?" she asked.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, it's only been two minutes." she told her as she emerged from the other room. "I couldn't find the bathing suit I wanted."

"Such a crisis." Alexis mocked. "It's not like you're going to wear it for the rest of your life."

"Well, you never know." she said as she slipped her sundress on. "Besides, I want to be prepared incase any available men drop in unexpectedly."

"You mean Luke." she corrected her.

"I assure you I don't." Skye answered. "Luke has been the farthest thing from my mind for quite sometime now. Which reminds me, why are you here?"

"How did talking about Luke remind you of me?" Alexis asked.

"Oh, I don't know." she laughed. "Maybe because you can't seem to keep your hands off of each other."

Alexis flashed a condescending smile. "Let it go." she sighed. "Besides I'm here about Ric."

Skye avoided eye contact with her. "What about Ric?"

"I know what happened, Skye, and don't you even try to deny it."

TBC….

Thanks for the reviews!

Please review again!


	11. Derange

Derange

A.N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I really appreciate the continued support!

Soft music flowed angelically from the cabin of the Haunted Star, flickering candlelight could be seen from the portholes and the echo of laughter was warm and inviting. The casino had become a private dance floor and was only entertaining one couple: Luke and Skye. Together they elegantly swayed back and fourth.

"This is perfect." she said softly.

"You're perfect." he replied just as soft. "This time we're going to do things right, we're going to make them work."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I am." he told her as he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. "I'm not about to lose you all over again."

Skye looked absolutely perfect in red as if that shade was invented especially for her. "I can't bear fighting with you." she whispered.

He cupped her face in his hands. "Skye, I love you."

Luke snapped out of his dreamland and back into a reality where he could never say those words to Skye, never. She was a Cassadine and no matter how much he wanted her or how much she meant to him he was certain he could never bring himself to love her.

XXXXXX

"I know what happened, Skye, and don't you even try and deny it." Alexis said firmly.

Skye slowly lifted her eyes up to meet Alexis'. "What are you talking about?" she asked as calmly as she possibly could.

"Ric and I have decided to give things another shot and I really want things to work out, we both do."

"That's good." Skye smiled. "Ric deserves to be happy. You both deserve to be happy. So what does this have to do with me?"

"Ric told me what happened while we were apart." she told her. It was true, Ric had told her he was with someone else, but when he offered to tell her she stopped him because she already knew it was Skye.

"Oh." she breathed, looking everywhere but at Alexis.

"And I told him that what happened in the past should stay in the past." Alexis explained. "Ric said that sleeping with you was just a one time thing."

"It was." Skye assured her, still not being able to look at her. "At the time neither one of us thought that we had a shot in the dark of working things out with our significant others, but now that you and Ric have talked things over and decided to try again I think its great."

"Just as long as you can assure me that things between you and Ric are pure friendship only."

"They are." Skye interjected. "Ric is a really great friend and I'd like to keep him in my life."

"So why did you do it, Skye?" Alexis asked, she had to she couldn't resist hearing Skye's answers. "Why Ric?"

"What do you want me to say, Alexis" she asked. "That I'm sorry? That I would take it all back if I could? That I wish it never happened?"

"I don't expect that much from you, Skye." she replied. "We both know that Skye does what Skye wants and it doesn't matter who she hurts in the process."

"How dare you!" she breathed. "I overlooked your involvement with Luke because I thought that the two of you were just friends and that everything was innocent and even when Ric told me that he seen the two of you together I couldn't let myself believe it. I didn't think that the Alexis that I've come to know in the past few months, the Alexis that knew exactly how I felt about Luke would be throwing herself at him every chance she got."

"I never threw myself at Luke!" Alexis said loudly. "Not once. In fact Luke initiated every encounter. He was the one who started kissing me, not the other way around."

Alexis' words hit Skye directly in the gut and Alexis was well aware of it. "And the fact that you came on to Ric and got him in your bed proves just how much of a friend you considered me and just how much you thought you loved Luke."

"It wasn't about love!" Skye yelled. "You can doubt me all you want, but I love Luke!"

"You have a funny way of showing your love, Skye."

"Luke and I are no longer together." she told her. "We both had issues that we couldn't resolve. It was almost as if a higher source was keeping us apart. I guess you could call it divine intervention because now he's free to be with you."

"With me?" she questioned.

Skye nodded. "You're the one he really wants." she said softly. "You always have been."

"Luke doesn't want me." Alexis insisted. "He wants you or at least he did."

"Maybe at one time or maybe he was just telling himself he did." she told her. "As much as I wanted things with Luke to work out they didn't and now I'm moving on."

"And you planned to do this with the first available man that came along?" she asked. "Like Ric?"

"If you think that I arranged this entire thing with Ric then you're wrong." Skye said firmly. "Things just happened. Neither one of us went looking for it."

"I know your track record with men. How am I suppose to believe that?"

"You don't have to believe it." she replied as she stood up. "We both know that you're going to believe whatever you want anyway."

Alexis stood up and walked over to the door where Skye was. "Unlike you I actually prefer the truth and I actually tell it."

Skye turned around to face Alexis. "You want the truth?" she asked.

"That would be refreshing."

"Ric is really the one I want." she replied. "Ric has been the one I wanted from the beginning. Why do you think I didn't want anything to do with Luke when he returned to town? I had everything planned out. After I was released from prison I was going to make it a point to become friends with Ric and then ultimately seduce him, you know since that is one of my better qualitites, but the you came into the picture and screwed it all up." Skye lied. "I wasn't about to let you mess things up so I went ahead with my plan and made friends with Ric all the while I strung Luke along waiting to make my move, but you almost made it too easy, Alexis, you did the hard part for me."

"Shut up!" she yelled, even though in her heart of hearts she knew Skye was lying the words still stung.

"When Ric caught you kissing Luke all the insecurities in his mind sprung forward and he became vulnerable. I like vulnerable men. You unknowingly pushed Ric right into my arms." she continued. "You helped me complete my plan."

Skye seen the anger erupt in her eyes and before Alexis could think her right arm swung forward and her hand connected roughly against the side of Skye's face making a resounding crack.

Skye stumbled backward a few steps, she gently touched her face. Alexis' slap stung like fire and she was more than sure that there was going to be a red hand print on the side of her face.

Alexis was just as shocked as Skye was, if not more. She pulled her sister into her arms, wrapping them tightly around her. "I didn't mean to do it." she whispered on the verge of tears.

Skye clung to her desperately, she let her welled up tears slide freely down her face. "I deserved it."

"No you didn't." Alexis said as she began to cry. "I just lost my temper. We've built a good relationship and I know that you'd never deliberately hurt me."

"I wouldn't." she cried. "Our friendship is being dissolved over men."

"No it's not." she assured her.

"I'm sorry." Skye whispered as Alexis stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry too."

Skye pulled out of their embrace and walked across the room. "I truly never meant for any of this to happen. Ric and I were both hurting and we were both upset and it was a good idea at the time." she confessed. "Ric is a wonderful man, but I love Luke." she finished softly. "And I have for a long time now."

Alexis nodded as she wiped away her tears. "I know and I think you should tell him."

"It wouldn't make any difference." she told Alexis as she wiped her eyes. "Luke doesn't want to hear it, I've tried to tell him so many times before."

"Tell him and don't let anything stand in your way."

"I'm afraid that if I tell him that it'll push him even farther away and I can't reach him right now as it is."

"If you don't tell him, Skye, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life." Alexis told her. "You're always going to be looking back wondering how things could have turned out."

"Eventually in time to come I'd screw up the relationship anyway." she replied. "Maybe it's best if I just leave everything alone."

Alexis walked into the kitchen and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. "You'd be making a really big mistake." she said as she grabbed a bar towel.

"I'm so afraid of getting hurt." Skye confessed.

"I know." she said softly as she made her way over to the sofa and sat down beside Skye. "It'll be worth the risk." Alexis coaxed as she handed her sister the ice wrapped in the towel. "Put this on your face, it'll get rid of the redness and prevent swelling."

Skye placed the ice on her stinging cheekbone. "Thank you." she murmured. "So where are we gonna go from here?"

"I don't know." Alexis sighed. "I really want to be furious with you for having sex with Ric, but I can't be." she breathed out. "I mean I'm mad, but I wanna hate you for what you've done and I can't. I can't hate you because I know that you're so much in love with Luke that you don't even pay attention to other men."

"If it's easier for you to hate me, Alexis, then go ahead." she replied, honestly. "Because if the situation were reserved and you slept with Luke I don't know what I'd do."

"Skye, we've come along way and I don't want anything to mess that up." she told her. "I am however requesting that you give Ric and me a little time to work things out."

"You want me to keep my distance." she stated

"Just for a while."

"I understand."

"Thank you." Alexis gave her a heartfelt smile. "You can't let Luke go. Not without a fight."

"I'd really like to sit here with you all day and discuss Luke, but Lulu will be here any minute and I have to make sure that Alice blew up the rest of the pool floats."

"You're spending the day with Lulu?" she asked. "Is Luke bringing her over?"

"Yes, we're going swimming" Skye answered. "And Bobbie's bringing her over."

"Well, that's a start."

"I'm not so sure." she said softly.

XXXXXX

Skye was more than relieved when the redness on her face started to fade. She eyed her reflection in the mirror making sure there were no visible signs of Alexis' slap and more importantly that there were no invisible signs of sadness. The echo of Lulu's laughter could be heard as she made her way up past Lila's rose garden. Skye grabbed her towel and headed to greet them.

Lulu stopped to admire the roses. "I've never seen so many roses in one place." she said as she delicately touched on of the pastel pink petals. "Aren't they pretty, Daddy?"

"Very pretty." Luke answered.

"There's one of every color."

Luke kneeled down next to his daughter. "That's because every color means something different."

"It does?" she asked, sweetly.

"Yes." he answered. "Pink means grace. Yellow means remembering. White means..."

"Does red mean love?" Lulu interjected.

He touched the red petals. "It sure does."

Lulu placed her hand on her father's shoulder. "Daddy, why is Skye so sad?"

"When did you see Skye?"

"Yesterday at Kelly's." she told him. "Did you come with me today to cheer her up?"

"I doubt that I can cheer her up." Luke said softly. "But when she takes one look at your adorable little face she'll cheer right up."

"Let's go see!"

Lulu drug Luke down the rest of the lawn and to the fenced in pool. Skye was making her way out of the pool house and was expecting to find Lulu and Bobbie, however, she was taken completely aback when she looked up to see Luke standing before her. "Hello, Lulu." she said with a smile.

"Hi, Skye." she responded. "Thanks for letting me swim with you."

"You're welcome." Skye smiled. "Why don't you go inside and change into your bath suit, it's the second door on the right."

Luke handed Lulu her beach bag. "Okay!" Lulu sounded off as she made her way inside the pool house.

"Luke, what are doing here?" Skye asked when Lulu was out of earshot.

"I brought Lulu to swim." he replied.

"I thought Bobbie was bringing her?"

"She was called in at the hospital." he explained. "I didn't want to let Lulu down."

"Since when?" she asked as she breezed past him and unlatched the gate to the pool.

Luke followed over to the lounge chair. "I know that I'm not the perfect Father." he began. "But I think it's time that I worked on it a little more."

"That's great, Luke." she sighed.

"You don't think I'm serious?" he asked.

"I hope for Lulu's sake that you are serious." she told him. "Little girls need their father's."

"Why won't you look at me?" he asked, noticing the way she had been avoiding eye contact with him. "What are you afraid of?"

Skye look up and into his eyes. "I'm not afraid of anything." she assured him even though her heart was melting. "I just don't need this today."

Luke could see the sadness in her eyes. It didn't matter how hard she tried to cover it up he could still see it and he never thought it would hurt him this much to see her in pain. He reached out to her. "Skye." he breathed.

She flinched at his touch. "Don't."

He took a few steps back. "I'm sorry."

Lulu came out of the pool house in her bright pink bathing suit. "I'm all ready." she announced as she made her way over to the adults. She handed Luke her bottle of sun block. "Except I need this on my back."

Luke rubbed some on his daughters back. "Now you're all ready."

"Are you going to stay, Daddy?" she asked

He looked at Skye and then down at Lulu. "I don't think so." he told her as he kneeled down in front of her. "But you and Skye are going to have a great time."

"I know." she replied.

"You can go ahead and get in if you like." Skye told her.

Before Luke got a chance to tell her goodbye Lulu had already jumped into the pool. "What time would you like me to come back and get her?" he asked.

"I'll take her back to Lesley's whenever she's ready." she told him. "It's not a problem."

"Okay." he agreed. "I've made an appointment with a realtor to look at a few houses, I'll leave my cell phone on incase you...Lulu needs anything."

"You're house hunting?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "I haven't told Lulu yet but, she's coming to live with me and I only have a short amount of time to get my act together."

"Oh." Skye sighed.

"Yeah." he breathed. "I hope I'm up for the challenge."

"You'll be fine."

XXXXXX

Luke walked around the backyard of the fourth house he had looked at. "I like this one much better than the first three." he told Dave, the realtor. "It charming without being over done."

"This is a good neighborhood." Dave told him. "There are other kids around the same age as your daughter who live close by and it's near PC Elementary."

"Good." Luke replied. "My daughter is my main focus right now."

"Luke." Alexis called out as she walked around the sidewalk.

"Over here, Natasha." Luke answered. "So what do you think?"

"About what?" she asked.

"The house." he replied.

"It's lovely." she replied dryly. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, Dave here has all the paperwork and since you're my attorney I thought you'd like to look over it before I signed the papers."

"You're buying the house?" she asked.

Luke nodded. "Lulu's going to live with me."

"I'll go inside and get started on the paperwork." Dave informed them as he walked away.

"We'll be inside in a few minutes." Luke assured him.

"Poor Lulu." Alexis laughed.

"You make it sound like I'm impossible to live with." Luke feigned offense.

"Fortunately I've never had the pleasure." she teased. "Though I could only imagine."

"Come on, Natasha, after I sign the paperwork I'll take you out to dinner."

"I have a date actually." she smiled.

"With?" he asked

"With Charlie the mailman." she replied sarcastically. "With Ric."

"Charlie the mailman sounded more appealing."

"That's just your opinion." she replied.

"Since when does my opinion not matter?" he asked.

"Let's just get this over with so you can buy me lunch." Alexis told him.

"I thought you said you had a date with Lansing?"

"A dinner date." she answered. "That has nothing to do with lunch."

An hour later Luke and Alexis sat at Kelly's talking over a burger and fries. "So where do plan on going with Lansing tonight?" he asked.

"Well, I was hoping that he'd swing for something a little fancier than Kelly's." she replied, biting into her french fry.

"Now you're offending my diner?"

"Of course not." she replied. "What are your plans for this evening?"

"How quickly you change the subject." he noted.

"Are you going to answer me or not?" Alexis asked.

"Nothing." he answered. "I have no plans for tonight."

"Maybe you should give Skye a call."

Luke took a drink of his soda. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because she broke things off, she doesn't want to see me anymore."

"Maybe she changed her mind."

"I seriously doubt it.".

Alexis picked up another french fry. "And that was the last time you seen her?"

"I seen her today when I took Lulu over there to go swimming."

"How did that go?"

"Not good." he replied. "She looked so hurt and when I tried to comfort her she pushed me away."

"Maybe you should just give her a little time."

Luke shook his head. "I could give her all the time in the world and it wouldn't make a difference."

"You never know until you try."

"I don't need a pep talk."

"Well, you need something." she told him. "Maybe a swift kick in the pants would do."

XXXXXX

Lesley heard a car pull into the driveway and she glanced out the window to discover Skye climbing out of the back of the Quartermaine limo. Skye waited patiently as Reginald made his way around the car and lifted a sleeping Lulu into his arms. "Try not to wake her." she instructed.

"I'll do my best." he replied.

Lesley opened the front door and came out onto the porch as Skye and Reginald started up the stairs. "She fell asleep on the way home." Skye told Lesley. "She's already had dinner."

"Thank you for letting her stay with you today."

"It wasn't a problem."

"Where would you like me to put her?" Reginald asked.

"Her bedroom is upstairs, the first door on the right." Lesley instructed.

Reginald disappeared inside with Lulu, leaving Lesley and Skye alone in awkward silence.

"I guess I should expect to see more of you." Lesley remarked.

Skye smiled. "Anytime you need help with Lulu, I'd be more than happy to help you out." she told her. "She's an amazing little girl."

"She reminds me so much of her Mother." Lesley replied. "I only wish Laura was here to see her."

"I never knew Laura, but from what I've heard she was an incredible woman and I wish she was here too, no child should ever have to grow up without their parents."

"Luke says he wants to try." she told her. "At least you'll be there to help him out."

Skye shook her head. "Luke and I aren't..."

"Oh." Lesley sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Please don't apologize." she sais softly. "But I did mean what I said, I'd be happy to help you out with Lulu anytime. She had such a great time today."

"Lulu really likes you."

"I really like her." Skye replied

Reginald came out of the front door. "Lulu's still sound asleep." he informed them. "Are you ready, Ms. Quartermaine?"

"Yes." she answered. "Goodbye, Lesley."

"Goodbye, Skye."

XXXXXX

Skye walked into the Haunted Star, it was completely empty. Luke was sitting in the corner booth, a glass and a bottle of whiskey were planted firmly in front of him. Skye stood motionless in the doorway, trying to determine whether or not to enter. The past few weeks of not having him in her life had been hell and she had determined that even if she couldn't have him in the capacity that she wished then maybe friendship was enough. Maybe that's the way it had to be because that was the only way it could ever be.

"Luke?" she called out, taking a few steps into the main room.

He turned around and looked at her and then turned back around without saying a word.

"Having you been drinking?" she asked, now standing in front of the table.

"Why do you care?" he asked.

"Who says I do?" she challenged. "Maybe I was just curious."

"If you came here to apologize then forget it."

"Oh, Luke, I didn't come here to apologize to you." she told him. "I didn't come here expecting you to apologize to me either. I'm here because I miss the Haunted Star. I miss you."

"You're the one who said that we should go our separate ways." he reminded her. "That we were no good together and could never be and the only thing left to do was to walk away with what little dignity we had left."

"I know what I said." she replied. "But I honestly thought that you would fight me on it. That you wouldn't just walked out the door and not look back. Did I mean so little to you that you could just walk away and forget all about me?"

"Skye, we've been through this before. I'm not Prince Charming. I'm not a white knight." he said softly. "And why I like the damsel and distress act, it just doesn't suit you. When I met you, you were a strong, savvy, independent woman. If anything out involvement has only made you weaker."

"You're wrong, it's made me stronger."

He shook his head. "No."

"Luke, I know that I can could spend the rest of my life proving how I feel about you, but it wouldn't do any good. I know that I can't make you love me. I've realized that no matter how hard we try that our relationship it's never gonna progress any farther than what it is right now."

"Maybe it's for best." he said softly.

"It is." she agreed, getting up from where she was seated. "This is the closure that I needed." Skye turned and walked toward the steps. She was more than determined not to look back. Only fools look back on what they could have had.

Luke slid out of the booth and watched as her foot hit the last step. "Closure is a myth." he said, only loud enough for her to hear, only loud enough to halt her movement. "You could walk out of here tonight but it won't stop you from remembering the past no matter how hard you try and force it. "

"I'm moving on with my life." she told him, still standing with her back to him. "This is the only way I know how."

Luke couldn't let her leave, not this time. He had made that mistake one too many times before. "When I wake up in the mornings and I'm debating whether or not to get up or sleep for a few more hours, I realize how alone I really am. I can't help but wonder what it would be like waking up next to you, how it would feel falling asleep with you in my arms."

"Are you deliberately trying to make this harder?" Skye asked, beginning to cry.

"No." he answered honestly. "I'm trying to get you to stay."

"Luke, you can't keep doing this to me." she sobbed. "You can't push me away only to change your mind moments later and say everything you know I wanna hear."

He walked up the few steps to where she was and turned her around to face him. "I'm sorry." he whispered, wiping away one of her fallen tears.

"I'm sorry too." she whispered back. "I'm sorry that I keep falling for this same tired act of yours. You push me away in fear of getting too close and then when I want to walk away you make it impossible by giving me false hope that maybe you can move forward, that maybe you're willing to make a relationship work."

"I told you I was sorry for leading you on."

"Then why do you keep doing it?" she asked. "You can't have it both ways Luke, either you want me or you don't. You need to make up your mind."

"I do want you." he told her. "I don't want you to leave. I need you. I trust you." he whispered, closing the space in between them. He knew that actions spoke louder than words. Luke leaned in and captured her lips in the softest, most tender kiss. "I want you." he told her again.

"I don't want you!"

XXXXXX

Ric twirled Alexis around making her burgundy dress sway on the moonlit dance floor. They had a wonderful dinner and had spent the past few hours dancing, they did the rumba and the salsa and the tango. And now swaying back and fourth on the dance floor wrapped in each others arms was as good as it got.

Alexis laid her head down on his shoulder. "Tonight has been absolutely amazing." she whispered against his neck. "Thank you."

He wrapped his arms tighter against her. "It has been amazing." he agreed. "Giving us a second chance, a real chance, was worth it."

"Most definitely." she replied. "I'm glad we finally came to our senses."

"So am I." he agreed. "I have to admit I had given up hope."

Alexis pulled back and looked up at him."I was acting childish." she admitted. "I should have never stormed out of your office that day."

"Well, I shouldn't have just let you walk away."

"Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes vulnerabilities get the best of us." Alexis told him. "But it feels right this time."

"Because it is right." Ric said as he cupped her face his hands. "I promise I won't let anything come between us again." His lips brushed softly over hers before running his tongue over her bottom lip. Alexis slightly parted her lips and Ric took the invitation to deepen their kiss. His tongue slowly and erotically battled with hers as he pulled her closer and closer until there was no space left between them.

Alexis pulled back, breathless. "What do you say we get out of here?"

"I think we could find somewhere a little more private."

An hour later they were at Ric's apartment.

The candlelight in the room flickered as Ric pushed Alexis back on the bed. His lips were hot against her skin, his tongue even hotter and his mouth scorching as he devoured the delicate skin of her neck.

She wrapped her arms around his neck as his mouth made contact with hers.

With a mere touch passion was roused within them. It was a natural chemistry that neither one of them could control no matter how much they wanted to. It was about more than love, more than romance, more than taking their relationship to the next level. It was about carnal desire. It was about surrendering themselves and giving in to something that they had fought so hard to contain.

Their bodies moved so freely ready to sate their inner desires. It was their hearts and afterthought that was the problem. It was waking up the next morning that was the true test, the part where you open your eyes and glance at the person beside you, remembering what had occurred the night before, and not have the twinging feeling in the bottom of your stomach that screams: mistake.

A moment that they both had secretly pondered since there lips touched was about to become a reality. A reality that they craved and feared at the exact same time.

Ric tore his lips away from her's and looked down into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Alexis looked up at him, her eyes burning into his. "I've never been more sure."

TBC...

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